PIB Snippets
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UPSC Prelims & Mains
PIB Snippets — September 22, 2026
Today’s official releases — the Sowa-Rigpa Working Group’s first meeting, the 18th edition of Exercise NOMADIC ELEPHANT with Mongolia, Indian naval ships at the ADMM-Plus JCA in the Philippines, and the Index of Core Industries for August 2026
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Sowa-Rigpa Working Group Under PCIM&H
News Context
- The first meeting of the Sowa-Rigpa Working Group, constituted under PCIM&H, was held on 18 September at Ghaziabad, UP — a step towards developing Sowa-Rigpa Pharmacopoeias and Formularies in India.
Key Facts for Prelims
- Sowa-Rigpa (“Science of Healing”) is a traditional medicine system practised mainly in the Himalayan/trans-Himalayan regions (Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, parts of Himachal Pradesh); officially part of the AYUSH systems alongside Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy.
- PCIM&H = Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy, a subordinate office under the Ministry of Ayush, which develops Pharmacopoeias/Formularies and runs a Central Drug Testing-cum-Appellate Laboratory for these systems.
Source: PIB
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Exercise NOMADIC ELEPHANT 2026 — India-Mongolia Joint Military Exercise
News Context
- The 18th edition of the India-Mongolia Joint Military Exercise NOMADIC ELEPHANT commenced at the Foreign Training Node, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, running 21 September to 3 October 2026.
Key Facts for Prelims
- Annual platoon-level exercise, conducted alternately between India and Mongolia (previous edition — Ulaanbaatar, May-June 2025); Indian Army and Mongolian Armed Forces, 45 personnel each.
- Aims to enhance joint capability for Counter-Insurgency Operations in semi-urban/mountainous terrain under a UN mandate; curriculum includes cordon-and-search operations, room intervention drills, special heliborne operations, cyber security training, drones and counter-drone systems.
- Reflects India’s growing defence engagement with Mongolia (between Russia and China) and reinforces the Act East Policy and extended-neighbourhood outreach.
Source: PIB
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Indian Naval Ships at ADMM-Plus JCA, Subic Bay, Philippines
News Context
- INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish arrived at Subic Bay, Philippines, on 20 September 2026, to participate in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus Joint Cooperation Activity (JCA).
Key Facts for Prelims
- ADMM-Plus is an extended platform of ASEAN’s Defence Ministers’ Meeting, bringing together ASEAN states plus eight dialogue partners (India, US, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand) — a key platform for defence/security cooperation.
- MAHASAGAR = Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, building on the earlier SAGAR doctrine; underscores India’s role as a net security provider in the IOR and beyond.
- Significance: strengthens India’s maritime diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific and its strategic partnership with the Philippines (South China Sea region).
Source: PIB
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Index of Core Industries (ICI) — August 2026
News Context
- The Office of Economic Adviser (OEA) released Provisional Estimates of the ICI for August 2026, along with the Final Index for July 2026, Base Year 2022-23.
Key Facts for Prelims
- ICI is a monthly index measuring combined/individual performance of eight core industries, released by the OEA, Ministry of Commerce and Industry: Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement, Electricity — Electricity (30.93%) and Refinery Products (22.57%) carry the highest weightage.
- These eight sectors account for nearly 40% of IIP weight, making ICI an early indicator of IIP trends.
Positive Signals
Cement/electricity growth indicates stronger construction activity and higher energy demand.
Sectoral Concerns
Declines in coal, natural gas, crude oil or fertilisers may indicate weakness in specific sectors.
Source: PIB
