UPSC Mains Current Affairs for 30 June 2026

Delhi EV Policy – Mandatory Electric Two-Wheelers from 2028

June 30, 2026

Delhi EV Policy Latest News

The Delhi government has announced its EV Policy 2.0, mandating that all new two- and three-wheelers registered in the city be electric from April 2028 to combat the capital's chronic air pollution.

Background: Delhi's Air Pollution and Transport Sector

Delhi consistently ranks among the most polluted cities in the world, with the transport sector being one of the most significant contributors to its air pollution.
While winter episodes of severe air quality draw the most attention, vehicular emissions remain a persistent source of pollution throughout the year.
According to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) report, 'Identification of the Causes for Worsening AQI in Delhi-NCR':
- Vehicular emissions contribute around 23% of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution during winter, making transport the single largest pollution source within the city.
- Two-wheelers constitute nearly 67% of Delhi's vehicle stock, making their rapid electrification critical.
- Three-wheelers, commercial cars, and N1 category goods vehicles (up to 3.5 tonnes) are priority segments due to their high daily utilisation.
Multiple studies, including those by TERI, IIT Kanpur, and SAFAR, have consistently identified transport, particularly two-wheelers, as the largest contributor to PM2.5, PM10, and other pollutants.
Notably, secondary particulate matter formed from vehicular NOx and VOCs accounts for about 27% of winter PM2.5 in Delhi.

Understanding Electric Vehicles (EVs)

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are vehicles powered by electric motors using energy stored in batteries, rather than internal combustion engines running on petrol or diesel. They are categorised as:
- Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs): Pure EVs running entirely on batteries with zero tailpipe emissions.
- Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs): Combine an internal combustion engine with an electric motor.
- Strong/Plug-in Hybrids (PHEVs): Can run on electric power for limited distances before switching to fuel.
Pure EVs offer superior environmental benefits as zero-emission vehicles, which is the focus of Delhi's new policy.

News Summary

The Delhi government announced its EV Policy 2.0, representing a sweeping, first-of-its-kind policy reform in the country.
The policy comes into effect on July 1, following approval from the Lieutenant Governor.
Key Mandates
- The policy introduces phased mandates for electrification:
  - No petrol motorcycles and scooters can be registered in Delhi after March 31, 2028.
  - Registration of new CNG auto-rickshaws will stop at the end of 2026.
  - From April 2028, every new two- and three-wheeler sold in Delhi must be an electric vehicle.
- The government clarified that existing non-electric two-wheelers will not be forced off the roads; only new registrations will be restricted, giving customers and manufacturers a two-year transition window.
Objectives
- Make Delhi pollution-free by March 31, 2030
- Achieve a minimum 30% electrification of Delhi's vehicle fleet by March 2030
- Government investment of Rs. 15,000 crore on incentives and charging infrastructure
Cash Incentives
- The policy offers substantial purchase incentives:
  - Electric two-wheeler: Year-1 (Rs. 30,000); Year-2 (Rs. 20,000); Year-3 (Rs. 10,000)
  - Passenger three-wheeler: Year-1 (Rs. 50,000); Year-2 (Rs. 40,000); Year-3 (Rs. 30,000)
Scrappage Benefits
- BS-IV or older two-wheelers: Rs. 10,000 for scrapping.
- Three-wheelers: Rs. 25,000 for scrapping.
- N1 electric trucks: Subsidy up to Rs. 1 lakh in the first year; Rs. 50,000 for scrapping older N1 trucks.
- Gramin Seva vehicles: Rs. 15,000 scrapping incentive.
- First 1 lakh owners scrapping BS-IV or older four-wheelers: Rs. 1 lakh incentive.
Road Tax Waiver
- 100% waiver on road tax and registration charges for fully electric vehicles.
- For four-wheelers, the exemption applies to vehicles priced up to Rs. 30 lakh (ex-showroom).
- EVs bought under the policy cannot be sold or registered in another state for three years.

Focus on Pure EVs

Notably, the final policy dropped the incentive for strong hybrid vehicles that had been proposed in the draft.
The draft had suggested a 50% exemption of road tax and registration charges for strong hybrids up to Rs. 30 lakh, intended as a transition bridge.
The government chose to focus exclusively on pure EVs, which offer superior zero-emission benefits.
Charging Infrastructure
- A major constraint to EV adoption has been limited charging infrastructure. The new policy envisages the establishment of more than 30,000 public charging points across the capital.

Significance and Challenges

Why It Matters
- Two out of every three vehicles in Delhi are two-wheelers, making the mandate enormously significant.
- Currently, electric two-wheelers make up only about 7.5% of annual two-wheeler registrations (36,962 out of 4,92,288 in 2025).
- Going from 7.5% to 100% in less than two years is a hugely ambitious target.
Broader Impact
- Delhi has historically led the country in clean air interventions.
- The policy is expected to influence other states, particularly those in the NCR region, to consider similar electrification mandates.
Challenges
- Rapid scaling of charging infrastructure to meet demand.
- Manufacturer readiness to supply electric two- and three-wheelers at scale.
- Affordability and consumer acceptance.
- Grid capacity to handle increased electricity demand.
- Battery disposal and recycling concerns.

Source: IE | TH

Delhi EV Policy FAQs

Q1: What is the key mandate of Delhi's EV Policy 2.0?

Ans: From April 2028, all new two- and three-wheelers registered in Delhi must be electric vehicles, with no new petrol two-wheelers registered after March 31, 2028.

Q2: What incentive is offered for buying an electric two-wheeler?

Ans: Up to ₹30,000 in the first year, ₹20,000 in the second year, and ₹10,000 in the third year.

Q3: Why does the policy focus on two-wheelers?

Ans: Two-wheelers constitute nearly 67% of Delhi's vehicle stock and are major contributors to vehicular emissions.

Q4: Did the final policy include incentives for strong hybrid vehicles?

Ans: No, the final policy dropped the proposed strong hybrid incentives and focuses exclusively on pure EVs.

Q5: How many charging points does the policy envisage?

Ans: The policy envisages the establishment of more than 30,000 public charging points across Delhi.

Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees: Can Iran Legally Charge Ships Under International Law?

June 30, 2026

Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees Latest News

Following a framework agreement between the US and Iran on June 15, 2026, the Strait of Hormuz was reopened to global shipping and the US blockade on Iranian ships lifted.
After the US and Israel began hostilities against Iran on February 28, 2026, Iran had used the Strait as both a chokepoint and a bargaining chip, even collecting a toll per transit to offset war damages.
It has now dropped the toll but continues to levy a navigation fee and an environmental protection charge.
This raises a core legal question: does Iran's action pass the test of the "right of transit passage" under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and customary international law?

Why the Strait Matters

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints — a narrow waterway through which a large share of global oil trade passes.
Its strategic value is exactly what gives a bordering state like Iran potential leverage, and exactly why international law tries to limit such leverage.

The Legal Principle: Freedom of Navigation

The heart of the matter lies in UNCLOS Articles 37 to 44, which govern "Straits used for International Navigation."
These provide that all ships and aircraft enjoy a "right of transit passage" — the freedom of continuous and swift navigation and overflight through international straits.
Two phrases are key:
- Transit passage "shall not be impeded."
- "There shall be no suspension" of transit passage.
The logic is that when a large portion of global trade depends on a narrow corridor, bordering states should not be able to weaponise it.
This principle predates UNCLOS. In the Corfu Channel case (UK v. Albania, 1949), the International Court of Justice held that ships enjoy unrestricted passage through a strait used for international navigation during peacetime, so long as transit does not threaten the coastal state's security.
By this standard, Iran's navigation and environmental charges look like an attempt to turn a natural strait into a managed, revenue-generating entry point — administered by Iran with Oman's support.

International Law's Silence: The Loopholes Iran Can Use

Experts believe that the law is not as airtight as it appears, and Iran has several legal openings.
Territorial waters, not high seas - The Strait lies within the combined territorial seas of Iran and Oman. Here, full high-seas freedom of navigation does not apply. Instead, ships enjoy the "right of innocent passage."
The "innocent passage" caveat - Under Article 19 of UNCLOS, innocent passage is subject to the coastal state being satisfied that passage does not prejudice its peace, good order, or security. These grounds are broad enough that Iran could invoke them to deny passage during a tense standoff.
The flawed canal analogy. Iran might point to the Suez and Panama canals, which charge transit fees. But this analogy might not help Iran: those are artificially engineered waterways built and maintained through sovereign territory and governed by specific treaty regimes — unlike Hormuz, a natural strait governed by UNCLOS.
The "persistent objector" argument. Iran signed UNCLOS but never ratified it.
- On signing, Iran declared it does not regard the transit-passage regime as customary international law — viewing it instead as a quid pro quo bargain only for treaty parties.
- Under the "persistent objector" doctrine, a state is exempt from an emerging rule of customary international law if it has clearly, consistently and persistently objected to that rule while it was still forming.
Iran's domestic law. In 1993, Iran enacted the "Law of Marine Areas of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea," which lets it suspend the passage of foreign ships and requires prior authorisation for warships and vessels carrying harmful substances (for environmental protection).
- Since this latter category can include commercial oil tankers, the inclusion of a navigation and environmental fee in the agreement actually reinforces Iran's persistent-objector position.
- This claim gains some acceptance under the doctrine of comity of nations — where states voluntarily recognise and respect each other's laws and customs.

The Bigger Picture: An Economic Weapon

The distinctive feature of the conflict has been its rapid oscillation between military confrontation and economic warfare, blurring the line between the two.
Though stretched militarily and economically, Iran demonstrated that it can impose global costs by making ordinary commerce uncertain.
The smoothness of transit through Hormuz depends partly on Israel's military moves in Lebanon. Tehran treats the Lebanon conflict as part of the same strategic campaign against it, and sees the Strait as leverage to demand limits on Israeli attacks.
For an energy-dependent country like India, the episode is a reminder that the security of vital sea lanes rests not only on treaty text but on the geopolitical will of the states that border them.

Source: IE

Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees FAQs

Q1: Why have Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees become an international legal issue?

Ans: Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees have triggered debate because UNCLOS guarantees transit passage through international straits, limiting restrictions imposed by coastal states.

Q2: How does UNCLOS regulate Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees?

Ans: UNCLOS generally protects uninterrupted transit passage through international straits, making the legality of Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees a subject of legal interpretation.

Q3: What legal arguments does Iran use to justify Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees?

Ans: Iran cites territorial waters, innocent passage provisions, domestic legislation and the persistent objector doctrine to support Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees.

Q4: Why is the Strait of Hormuz strategically important despite the debate over Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees?

Ans: The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy chokepoint, making Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees significant for international trade, energy security and geopolitics.

Q5: What lessons do Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees hold for India?

Ans: Strait of Hormuz Navigation Fees highlight India's need to secure energy imports, diversify supply routes and strengthen maritime diplomacy and naval preparedness.

QR Code Track-and-Trace System: India’s New Weapon Against Fake Medicines

June 30, 2026

QR Code Track-and-Trace System Latest News

The Centre has mandated that all vaccines, antimicrobials, narcotics and addictive drugs, and anti-cancer drugs must carry a bar code or QR code that enables tracking of every vial or blister pack.
The system will be rolled out in phases: by July 2027 for vaccines, narcotics, and anticancer drugs, and by July 2028 for antimicrobials. The aim is to crack down on counterfeit and spurious medicines.

Track-and-Trace Mechanism

It is a system that lets regulators and companies follow the entire journey of every single unit of a medicine — from the manufacturing plant right to the retail store.
Each pack carries a unique code, making it possible to trace exactly where a product is at any stage.
The system is not entirely new. It already applies to 300 top drug brands, including the gastric reflux tablet Aciloc and the fever medicine Calpol. The recent notification extends it to the four new categories.

How the System Works

Manufacturers of all medicines listed under Schedule H2 of the Drugs Rules must affix a unique bar code or QR code on the primary package (or on secondary packaging if space is short).
A new Schedule H2 was created in the Drugs Rules, 1945 four years ago when tracking first began; it lists the top 300 brands and now the four new categories.
Beyond the unique identification number for each blister pack or vial, the code must also carry:
- Brand name and generic name of the drug
- Name and address of the manufacturer
- Batch number
- Date of manufacturing
- Date of expiry
- Manufacturing licence number
Crucially, the system requires manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers to log these products on specialised track-and-trace platforms at each stage.

Why It Makes Counterfeiting Hard

Because each unit carries a unique, one-time code, fraud becomes very difficult:
- Even if counterfeiters use AI to generate similar-looking codes, the uniqueness of each unit makes large-scale faking hard.
- Reusing original packaging to refill and sell fake drugs will not work, because once a code is registered on the platform, the same number cannot be re-registered.
The Health Ministry stated that the enhanced traceability will help authenticate medicines across the supply chain and strengthen regulatory oversight against spurious drugs.

Why the System Is Needed

The core aim is to prevent counterfeiting, which typically takes two forms: releasing products with no active ingredient, or diluting a drug to stretch quantities for sale.
A track-and-trace mechanism helps regulators:
- Distinguish whether a spurious drug came from a cost-cutting company or was a completely fake product packaged like a known brand.
- Identify whether a product was contaminated at the source or tampered with later.
- Locate every unit precisely in case of a product recall.

The Keytruda Case: Why It Matters for Cancer Drugs

The relevance for expensive cancer drugs is stark. An investigation uncovered a ring that counterfeited the cancer immunotherapy drug Keytruda.
- Unscrupulous players partnered with hospital staff to pilfer empty or used vials from cancer units.
- These were refilled with anti-fungal medicine of similar consistency and sold to patients at a lower price.
- Keytruda can be highly effective — sometimes dissolving tumours — but remains largely inaccessible in India due to cost: around ₹2 lakh per cycle, with patients needing 12–17 cycles.
Tracking every vial directly targets this kind of fraud.

Challenges in Implementation

Two main difficulties stand out:
- Logging delays. If a genuine product is logged late and a counterfeit gets registered first, the genuine drug could wrongly appear as counterfeit.
- Cost burden. Companies must build systems to generate unique codes for every packet and log them at every stage. This may be affordable for makers of costly cancer drugs, but a heavy burden for smaller firms making everyday pills.
Since many Schedule H2 drugs are essential medicines under price control, an expert suggested the government may need to provide monetary support or allow slight price increases during implementation.

Boosting Regulatory Credibility

The system also aims to raise the maturity level of India's drug regulator. The WHO has a benchmarking tool that rates regulators on how drugs are approved, surveilled, tested, and recalled.
For vaccines, the Indian regulator is already at Maturity Level 3 (the second-best level). Making each vaccine unit traceable is a step towards the highest rating, Maturity Level 4.
A higher maturity level makes it easier for Indian medicines to be accepted in international markets, as their quality becomes more trustworthy.
This links the anti-counterfeiting drive directly to the larger goal of strengthening India's standing as the "pharmacy of the world."

Source: IE

QR Code Track-and-Trace System FAQs

Q1: What is the QR Code Track-and-Trace System for medicines?

Ans: The QR Code Track-and-Trace System assigns a unique QR code or barcode to every medicine pack, enabling complete tracking throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Q2: How does the QR Code Track-and-Trace System prevent counterfeit medicines?

Ans: The QR Code Track-and-Trace System prevents duplication by assigning unique identifiers, making it difficult to reuse packaging or introduce fake medicines into the supply chain.

Q3: Why is the QR Code Track-and-Trace System important for public health?

Ans: The QR Code Track-and-Trace System improves patient safety by facilitating product authentication, rapid recalls, contamination tracking and stronger regulatory surveillance.

Q4: What implementation challenges does the QR Code Track-and-Trace System face?

Ans: The QR Code Track-and-Trace System faces challenges including higher compliance costs, delayed data logging and technological adaptation by smaller pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Q5: How does the QR Code Track-and-Trace System strengthen India's pharmaceutical sector?

Ans: The QR Code Track-and-Trace System enhances regulatory credibility, supports WHO maturity benchmarks and reinforces India's reputation as the "pharmacy of the world."