PIB Snippets
July 9, 2026
Quick-revision notes from the Press Information Bureau for UPSC Prelims and Mains — Pinaka LRGR flight test, Prambanan Temple conservation, Foot and Mouth Disease control, and Handloom Hackathon 2026.
PIB Snippet 01 of 04
Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR)
Defence
GS Paper 3
DRDO · Science & Tech
Key Facts
Test Date: July 8, 2026 at ITR, Chandipur
Range tested: 60 km (user-defined minimum range)
Designer: ARDE + HEMRL (DRDO labs)
Support: DRDL and Research Centre Imarat (RCI)
Launcher: In-service Pinaka launcher (same for all variants)
Named after: Bow of Lord Shiva
60 km
LRGR Test Range
40 km
Pinaka Mark I Range
300 km
Pinaka Mark II (eventual)
12
Rockets per salvo
About Pinaka Missile System
- Named after the bow of Lord Shiva, developed by DRDO’s ARDE
- High-precision, multi-barrel rocket launcher with high mobility and quick deployment
- Can fire 12 rockets in a single salvo
- Pinaka Mark I: Range of 40 km
- Pinaka Mark II: Extended range of 70–80 km, expandable to 120 km and eventually 300 km
Key Organisations Involved
- ARDE (Armament Research and Development Establishment) — primary designer
- HEMRL (High Energy Materials Research Laboratory) — design partner
- DRDL (Defence Research and Development Laboratory) — support
- RCI (Research Centre Imarat) — support
- ITR Chandipur — Integrated Test Range where the test was conducted
Significance of the Test
- Demonstrates launch capability of Pinaka variants of different ranges from the same launcher — a key operational flexibility
- Impacted target with textbook precision at the 60 km user-defined range
- Strengthens India’s indigenous long-range artillery rocket capability
UPSC Angle: Know all four DRDO labs — ARDE, HEMRL, DRDL, RCI. ITR Chandipur is India’s premier missile test facility in Odisha. Pinaka is a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) — not a missile. Mark I = 40 km, Mark II = 70–300 km. “Same launcher for all variants” is a key unique feature.
📋 Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB)
PIB Snippet 02 of 04
Prambanan Temple — ASI Conservation Project
Art & Culture
GS Paper 1 & 2
India-Indonesia Relations
Key Facts
Location: Sleman, Yogyakarta, Southern Java, Indonesia
Built by: Sanjaya Dynasty (9th century)
Dedicated to: Hindu Trimurti — Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma
UNESCO WHS: Designated in 1991
Local name: “Temple of the Slender Virgin” / Roro Jonggrang
India’s role: ASI leading conservation and restoration project
240
Total Temples in Complex
47 m
Height of Shiva’s Temple
9th C
Century Built
Architecture & Key Features
- Largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia
- Main complex: 240 temples; central compound has 8 main + 8 minor temples on a raised platform
- Shiva’s temple is the biggest — soaring to 47 metres, one of the tallest temples in Southeast Asia
- Reflects indigenous Javanese traditions + South Indian Pallava style influences
- Intricate carvings depict scenes from the Ramayana epic and other Hindu narratives
- Buddhist temples and shrines also surround the main Hindu complex
History
- Built in the 9th century by the Sanjaya dynasty — a Hindu kingdom that ruled Central Java
- Buried for centuries before being rediscovered and restored in the 19th century
- UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991
India Connection — PM Modi Visit
- PM Modi visited Prambanan alongside Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto
- Both leaders unveiled a plaque marking commencement of ASI’s conservation and restoration project
- Part of PM Modi’s 3-nation tour (July 6–11, 2026) — reflects India-Indonesia cultural diplomacy
- Connects to the India-Indonesia agreement on Prambanan Temple conservation signed during the visit
UPSC Angle: Prambanan = largest Hindu temple in Indonesia, UNESCO WHS 1991, dedicated to Trimurti, built by Sanjaya dynasty (9th century), Pallava architectural influence. ASI involvement = India’s cultural diplomacy. Ramayana carvings highlight Hindu cultural reach in Southeast Asia (Art & Culture + IR angle).
📋 Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB)
PIB Snippet 03 of 04
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)
Agriculture & Animal Husbandry
GS Paper 3
Government Scheme
Key Facts
Type: Highly contagious viral disease
Animals affected: Cattle, buffaloes, goats, sheep, pigs, deer (cloven-hoofed)
First identified: USA, 1870 — eradicated by 1929
Current status: Endemic in Asia, Africa, Middle East
Incubation period: 2 to 14 days
Human risk: Does NOT affect humans — not a food safety threat
Transmission & Symptoms
- Spreads through: Direct contact, contaminated feed, tools, vehicles, and airborne particles
- Symptoms: High fever (2–3 days), blisters on mouth, tongue, hooves and mammary glands
- Excessive salivation, lameness, low milk yield, abortions and sterility in affected animals
National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP)
- Launched in 2019
- 100% centrally funded
- Targets FMD and Brucellosis eradication by 2030
- Integrated with Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP)
- LHDCP supports: vaccination, ear-tagging, disease surveillance, cold chain maintenance, and awareness
UPSC Angle: NADCP — launched 2019, 100% centrally funded, targets FMD + Brucellosis eradication by 2030. FMD = viral, affects cloven-hoofed animals only, does NOT affect humans. Endemic in Asia/Africa/Middle East. Connect to Animal Husbandry and food security themes in GS3.
📋 Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB)
PIB Snippet 04 of 04
Handloom Hackathon 2026 — “Weaving Innovation”
Textiles & Industry
GS Paper 3
Social Impact
Key Facts
Launched by: Office of Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles
Theme: “Weaving Innovation”
Occasion: National Handloom Day 2026 celebrations
National Handloom Day: August 7 every year
Commemorates: Swadeshi Movement launched on August 7, 1905
Open to: Students, weavers, artisans, startups, researchers
Thematic Areas
- Product and Design Innovation — new designs and textile products
- Sustainability — eco-friendly and natural processes
- Digital Technologies — use of tech in handloom production and marketing
- Market Access and Branding — reaching domestic and global markets
- Supply Chain Efficiency — reducing waste and improving logistics
- Social Impact — empowering weavers and artisan communities
Who Can Participate
- Students in textiles, fashion, design, engineering, management and technology
- Weavers and artisans from across India
- Startups and researchers working on handloom-related solutions
National Handloom Day — Background
- Celebrated every year on August 7
- Commemorates the Swadeshi Movement launched on August 7, 1905 — a turning point in India’s freedom struggle and promotion of indigenous industries
- Aims to honour weavers and raise awareness about the handloom sector’s cultural and economic significance
UPSC Angle: National Handloom Day = August 7 (Swadeshi Movement, 1905). Ministry of Textiles → Development Commissioner (Handlooms). Hackathon connects GS3 (industry, employment, innovation) and GS1 (cultural heritage, art forms). Swadeshi Movement 1905 = partition of Bengal context.
📋 Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB)
