NEWS 1:AFSPA extended for six months in parts of Manipur Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland due to ongoing security concerns.

GS-3 internal security

• The Union Home Ministry extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland for six months.
• In Manipur, AFSPA remains in effect across the state, excluding the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in five valley districts.
• In Nagaland, the extension covers nine districts and 21 police station limits across five other districts.
• Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh, along with specific areas in Namsai district, are declared “disturbed areas” for six months.

• Enacted in 1958 for the Naga Hills, later extended to other regions facing insurgency.
• Gives special powers to the armed forces in “disturbed areas” declared by the central or state government.

Key Provisions

• Declaration of Disturbed Area: Governor of a state or the Central Government can declare an area “disturbed.”
• Special Powers:
  • Use force, even to the extent of causing death, against persons acting in contravention of law.
  • Arrest without warrant, based on reasonable suspicion.
  • Enter and search premises without warrant.
  • Destroy arms dumps, fortified positions, or shelters used by insurgents.
• Legal Immunity: No prosecution of security forces without prior sanction of the central government.

States under AFSPA

Historically applied in Nagaland, Manipur (except Imphal municipal area), Assam, parts of Arunachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir.

• J&K: AFSPA came into force in 1990.
• Over the years, areas have been gradually withdrawn from AFSPA as violence declined.

Arguments in Favour

• Necessary for counter-insurgency operations.
• Provides security forces with legal protection in hostile environments.
• Helps restore peace and normalcy in insurgency-affected areas.

Criticism

• Alleged human rights violations (fake encounters, custodial deaths, torture).
• Viewed as draconian and against democratic values.
• Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee (2005) recommended repeal of AFSPA, calling it “a symbol of oppression.”

NEWS 2:ExMinisters and environmentalists petition SC to review Char Dham road widening judgment citing ecological damage and increased disasters.

GS-3 disaster management

• Murli Manohar Joshi, Karan Singh, environmentalists, and scientists appealed to the Supreme Court to review its 2021 judgment on the Char Dham project.
• The appeal contests the permission to widen Himalayan roads beyond 5.5 metres.
• The Char Dham project involves widening roads in the Bhagirathi Eco Sensitive Zone (BESZ) and roads leading to the India-China border.
• Petitioners argue that road widening is causing environmental damage, landslides, and roadblocks.

The Char Dham Road Project is a major infrastructure initiative in Uttarakhand

• Announced in 2016, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi.
• Aim: All-weather connectivity to the four sacred Hindu shrines (Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath) in Uttarakhand, collectively known as Char Dham.
• Total length: Around 900 km of highways to be upgraded/widened.

Objectives

• Facilitate pilgrimage tourism and religious travel.
• Provide strategic connectivity to the India-China border (important for troop and supply movement).
• Improve regional development in Uttarakhand.

Features

• Roads upgraded to two-lane (intermediate width) with paved shoulders.
• Includes bridges, tunnels, bypasses, and slope stabilization measures.
• Estimated cost: Around ₹12,000 crores (revised upward later).

Controversies & Issues

• Environmental Concerns: Large-scale deforestation, slope cutting, landslides, and destabilization of fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
• Supreme Court Involvement: Multiple petitions filed.
  • SC initially limited road width to 5.5m (as per 2018 circular).
  • Later, citing national security, SC allowed wider 10m roads on 3 strategic stretches leading to Indo-China border.
• Disaster Vulnerability: Experts warn that hasty construction worsens landslides and flash floods in ecologically sensitive areas.

Current Status

• Several stretches completed, others ongoing.
• Project is being executed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• Balancing development, religious tourism, and environmental sustainability remains a challenge.

NEWS 3:The Indian Air Force (IAF) formally decommissioned the MiG21 fighter jets at a grand ceremony in Chandigarh marking the end of the aircraft’s nearly 60 year long operational journey in Indias defence history.

GS-3 internal security

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh termed MiG-21 a symbol of India-Russia defence partnership.
• No. 23 Squadron (Panthers), the last to operate MiG-21 Bisons, performed the final sortie.
• Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh flew the last operational sortie (Badal 3).
• Ceremonial switch-off of six MiG-21s and handing over of aircraft Form-700 concluded the service.
• Veterans, including former IAF chiefs, participated in the farewell; aerobatic displays by Surya Kiran, Tejas, and Jaguars marked the occasion.
• MiG-21 played crucial roles in 1971 War, Kargil conflict, Balakot airstrike, and Operation Sindoor.
• Decommissioning reduced IAF’s squadron strength to 29 squadrons, lowest since the 1960s.
• · MiG-21: Supersonic jet fighter aircraft designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau (USSR) in the 1950s.
• · Introduced in India in 1963; became the backbone of IAF for decades.
• · Nicknamed “Type-77” in India.

Variants in India

• MiG-21FL, MiG-21M, MiG-21bis, and MiG-21 Bison (upgraded with modern avionics and weapons).

Strengths

• Supersonic speed, simple design, and cost-effective.
• Served as a reliable workhorse for decades.
• Easy to maintain in large numbers.

Criticism / Problems

• Ageing platform – first introduced 60+ years ago.
• High accident rate – nicknamed “Flying Coffin” in India.
  • Over 400 MiG-21s lost in crashes since induction, killing 200+ pilots.
• Safety concerns led to public pressure for phase-out.

Phase-Out Plan

• IAF has been progressively retiring MiG-21 squadrons.
• Only a few MiG-21 Bison squadrons remain in service (as of 2025, scheduled to retire by 2025–26).
• Being replaced by Tejas LCA, Rafale, and upgraded Su-30 MKI.

MAINS MOCK QUESTION

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has often been described as a necessary evil in India’s internal security framework. Critically examine the relevance of AFSPA in the present security context of the country.