09 July Prelims Pinpointer
Six high-yield current affairs facts for UPSC Prelims – from Assam’s Foreigners Tribunals and the Delhi HC’s “right to be forgotten” ruling, to India’s Astra BVRAAM missile deal with Indonesia.
1 Assam Accord
2 Right to Be Forgotten
3 Hummus Trail
4 Ammonia Safety
5 LNG Terminals
6 Astra Missile
01
Assam Accord and Foreigners Tribunals
Polity & Governance
In News: Assam Foreigners Tribunals declared 36,358 people foreigners between 2021 and May 2026 – but only 196 were repatriated to Bangladesh. Only Foreigners Tribunals are authorised to determine foreigner status in Assam.
About: Assam Accord, 1985 & the Assam Movement
- Signed on August 15, 1985 among the Union of India, Government of Assam, All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), and All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad.
- Ended the six-year Assam Movement (1979-1985) aimed at expelling foreigners from Assam.
- Mandates detection and deportation of immigrants who entered Assam after March 24, 1971.
Cut-off Dates & Detection Provisions
- January 1, 1966 is the cut-off date for detection and deletion of foreigners.
- Persons arriving before Jan 1, 1966 (inclusive) are eligible for citizenship.
- Persons arriving between Jan 1, 1966 and March 24, 1971 (midnight) are detected under the Foreigners Act, 1946 and Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1939; their names are deleted from Electoral Rolls, and they must register under the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939. They get voting rights only 10 years after detection.
- Persons entering on or after March 25, 1971 are detected, deleted and expelled.
Foreigners Tribunals
- FTs are the sole authorised bodies to determine foreigner status in Assam; orders can be challenged before higher courts.
- They operate under the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1939.
Clause 6: Safeguards for Assamese Identity
- Promises constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social and linguistic identity of the Assamese people.
Source: India Today NE
02
Right to Be Forgotten
Polity & Law
In News: The Delhi High Court laid down principles on the “right to be forgotten” in Laksh Vir Singh Yadav vs Union of India (May 29, 2026), addressing over 30 consolidated petitions on de-indexing judicial records, with a two-week compliance deadline for legal databases.
About: Right to Be Forgotten & Digital Erasure
- The right to have information erased or de-indexed from the public digital environment when continued accessibility is harmful and serves no public interest.
- The court held name-based searches can be restricted, but judgments remain accessible by case number or keyword.
- A structured proportionality test applies: legitimate purpose for retention, privacy weighed against public interest, and the least intrusive means preferred.
Origin: Mario Costeja Case & EU GDPR (Article 17)
- The concept emerged in 2014 when Spanish citizen Mario Costeja Gonzalez complained to the European Court of Justice after Google kept displaying an old notice about the auction of his repossessed house.
- The court ruled in his favour, laying the groundwork for the right to erasure, later incorporated into Article 17 of the EU’s GDPR.
Indian Law: Puttaswamy Case & Article 21
- K.S. Puttaswamy vs Union of India (2017) held that privacy, including informational privacy, is a fundamental right under Article 21.
- The right to be forgotten flows from Article 21’s guarantee of dignity and informational privacy, and often conflicts with free speech (Article 19(1)(a)) and open justice.
Statute: DPDP Act, 2023 (Section 12)
- Offers a limited, consent-based statutory right to erasure under Section 12, but does not explicitly address judicial records and public archives.
- Rules remain un-notified and the Data Protection Board is not fully effective yet.
Source: The Hindu
03
Geneva Conventions and the “Hummus Trail”
International Relations
In News: The Hind Rajab Foundation filed a war crimes complaint with India’s Ministry of Home Affairs seeking the arrest of an Israeli soldier vacationing in Himachal Pradesh, accused of destroying civilian infrastructure in Gaza in 2024. The Union government did not issue a statement or initiate a probe.
About: The “Hummus Trail” in India
- Routes frequented by Israelis across India, including Kasol, Goa, Hampi, Kodaikanal, Rishikesh, Varanasi, Pushkar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Kasol is colloquially known as “mini-Israel.”
- Around 80,000 Israelis visit India yearly, many young veterans on the post-service “Tiul Gadol” trip, lasting up to a year and funded by their army-service bonus.
Law: Fourth Geneva Convention & “Grave Breaches”
- India is a signatory to the Fourth Geneva Convention, under which intentional attacks causing civilian deaths or severe damage to civilian objects are “grave breaches” / war crimes.
Indian Statute: Geneva Conventions Act, 1960
- India has no standalone war crimes law, but the Geneva Conventions Act, 1960 criminalises “grave breaches” under the four Geneva Conventions.
- India can arrest any person, regardless of nationality or where the offence occurred; if arrest isn’t possible, the Home Ministry and Bureau of Immigration can facilitate deportation.
Concept: Universal Jurisdiction
- Allows a country to prosecute individuals for serious international crimes regardless of nationality or location.
- HRF’s actions against Israeli soldiers have succeeded in Brazil, Romania, Peru, Belgium and Canada; a Chilean court recently recognised universal jurisdiction over Gaza war crimes.
Source: The Hindu
04
Ammonia and Industrial Disaster Safeguards
Environment & Disaster Mgmt
In News: Tiruvallur district administration sealed the St. Peter and Paul Pvt. Ltd. seafood unit after an ammonia leak on June 21 claimed the lives of 18 workers.
About: Ammonia (NH3) & the Haber-Bosch Process
- A colourless, poisonous gas with a strong pungent smell, occurring naturally through decay of plant and animal matter.
- Industrially produced through the Haber-Bosch process using nitrogen and hydrogen.
Health Risk: Toxicity & Treatment
- Irritates skin, eyes, throat and lungs; symptoms include coughing, nausea and breathing difficulty.
- Serious cases can cause pulmonary edema, oxygen deprivation, lung damage, respiratory failure and death.
- No specific antidote exists; treatment involves removing ammonia exposure plus oxygen support and respiratory management.
Safeguards: Key Rules
- Chemical Accidents Rules, 1996; Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals (MSIHC) Rules, 1989; Chemical Accidents (Emergency, Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996; and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.
Laws: EPA 1986 & DM (Amendment) Act 2025
- The Environment Protection Act, 1986 provides the overarching legal framework for industrial and chemical safety.
- The Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025 strengthens the national framework for managing industrial and chemical disasters.
Source: The Hindu
05
LNG and Regasification Terminals in India
Economy & Energy
In News: India added 52.5 mtpa of regasification capacity across eight terminals in 2025, overtaking Spain to become the world’s 4th largest LNG regasification market – even as utilisation fell to 47% from 58% in 2024.
About: LNG & Regasification
- LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) is natural gas cooled to liquid form for storage and transport; regasification converts it back into gaseous form for use.
- Rising demand from fertilizer, city gas and utilities is driving India’s LNG growth. Natural gas consumption is forecast to grow nearly 60% by 2030 (IEA).
Terminals: Dahej, Dabhol & Chhara
| Terminal | Capacity | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dahej | 17.5 mtpa | India’s only ultra-large terminal; 6th largest globally |
| Chhara | 5 mtpa | New onshore terminal, commissioned 2025 |
| Dabhol | 5 mtpa (up from 2.9) | Breakwater completed; now year-round, previously idle in monsoon |
| Other 5 terminals | ~5 mtpa each | Large-scale category |
- Four more LNG projects are under construction, expected to add 11.3 mtpa by 2028.
Report: IGU World LNG Report
- Asia led global regasification additions in 2025 – China added 15.1 mtpa, India added 7.1 mtpa.
- Asia Pacific’s LNG imports fell by 9.2 MT to 108.7 MT in 2025.
Source: The Hindu
06
Astra Missile (BVRAAM)
Defence & Security
In News: India and Indonesia signed a deal for Astra Mk 1 BVRAAMs and BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to arm Indonesia’s Su-30 fleet – Indonesia is the first country to import India’s Astra missiles.
About: Astra, an Indigenous BVRAAM
- Developed by the DRDO; a family of indigenous Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missiles that can engage targets beyond 20 nautical miles (37 km).
- Will be integrated with both the Air Force and the Navy.
Variants: Mk-1, Mk-2 and Mk-3 (Gandiva)
| Variant | Range | Propulsion | Status / Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mk 1 | 80-110 km (altitude up to 20 km, Mach 4.5) | Single-pulse smokeless solid-fuel motor | Inducted; inertial guidance, mid-course update, terminal active radar homing |
| Mk 2 | 200 km | Dual-pulse solid rocket motor (energy conservation + terminal reignition) | Acceptance of Necessity received, December 2025 |
| Mk 3 (Gandiva) | 350+ km (potential) | Likely Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) | Under development by DRDO |
Significance: Countering PL-15 & Boosting Exports
- India’s indigenous counter to the China-Pakistan PL-15 BVRAAM; Operation Sindoor demonstrated the criticality of longer-range BVRAAMs.
- Reduces India’s dependence on imported missiles like Meteor and R-77. BrahMos is also supplied to Vietnam and the Philippines.
Source: Indian Express
