UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 January 2026

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 January 2026 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles

 

InstaLinks : Insta Links help you think beyond the current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.

Table of Contents

GS Paper 1:

1. Global Water Bankruptcy Report

GS Paper 4:

2. Rethinking Disability and Mental Health Law

Content for Mains Enrichment (CME):

1. Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework

Facts for Prelims (FFP):

1. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

2. S. Formally Withdraws From the World Health Organization

3. Long-Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Glide Missile (LRAShM)

4. Operation Megaburu

5. Governor’s Power to Address the State Legislatures

Mapping:

1. Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 January 2026

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GS Paper 1:

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Global Water Bankruptcy Report

Source: DTE

Subject: Critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps)

Context: The United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) released a flagship report titled “Global Water Bankruptcy: Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means in the Post-Crisis Era”.

About Global Water Bankruptcy Report:

What it is?

• It describes a persistent post-crisis failure state where long-term water use exceeds renewable inflows and safe depletion limits, causing irreversible damage to natural capital.
• It highlights that “water stress” (pressure) and “water crisis” (temporary shock) are no longer adequate terms because the previous “normal” baselines have effectively collapsed in many regions.

Data and Facts Water Bankruptcy:

• Massive Scale: Nearly 75% of the world’s population lives in countries classified as water-insecure or critically water-insecure as of 2026.
• Agricultural Stress: Roughly 70% of global freshwater is used for agriculture; over 170 million hectares of irrigated cropland are under high or very high water stress.
• Groundwater Depletion: Around 70% of the world’s major aquifers show long-term declining trends, with some areas sinking by up to 25 cm per year due to land subsidence.
• Wetland Liquidation: The world has lost roughly 410 million hectares of natural wetlands in the last five decades—an area almost the size of the European Union.
• Economic Cost: Human-made anthropogenic droughts now cost the world approximately billion annually, exceeding the GDP of three-quarters of UN Member States.

Causes of Water Bankruptcy:

• Slow-Onset Depletion: Long-term over-allocation and over-pumping, often driven by weak regulation, gradually erode water storage.

E.g. Widespread over-extraction in the Indo-Gangetic plain has led to some of the highest rates of groundwater depletion globally.

• Infrastructure-Driven Overshoot: Large-scale dams and diversions allow cities and industries to expand beyond sustainable local hydrological limits.

E.g. Inter-basin transfers like those supplying Chennai struggle to prevent Day Zero when monsoons fail.

• Ecological Liquidation: Converting wetlands and forests for development removes natural shock absorbers, increasing vulnerability to extremes.

E.g. The degradation of wetlands in cities like Bengaluru has reduced natural groundwater recharge and increased flash flood risks.

• Climate-Amplified Overshoot: Climate change acts as a catalyst, accelerating glacier melt and altering precipitation patterns that systems were already struggling with.

E.g. Retreating Himalayan glaciers threaten the long-term reliability of dry-season flows for the Indus and Ganges basins.

• Institutional Inertia and Denial: Policies and water rights remain organized around the assumption that the old normal will return, delaying difficult demand-reduction decisions.

E.g. Resistance to changing crop patterns in water-scarce regions perpetuates the cycle of insolvency.

Challenges Associated with Water Bankruptcy:

• Threatened Food Security: Declining water storage in breadbaskets directly erodes yields and increases production risks.

E.g. Yield losses in major agricultural states are already being linked to severe human-induced land and water degradation.

• Socio-Economic Failure Modes: Water insecurity drives distress migration and displacement, particularly in rural communities.

E.g. Rural-to-urban migration spikes in regions like Bundelkhand during prolonged periods of anthropogenic drought.

• Urban Day Zero Scenarios: Cities face recurring emergencies where municipal systems are unable to provide piped water to residents.

E.g. Chennai reached a highly publicized Day Zero in 2019 after main reservoirs ran dry due to years of over-allocation.

• Water Quality Paradox: Even where water is volumetrically present, pollution (sewage, industrial waste) makes it functionally unusable.

E.g. The Yamuna River in Delhi is often so heavily polluted with untreated waste that it cannot be used safely for most human purposes.

• Rising Conflict and Injustice: The burden of water bankruptcy falls disproportionately on the poor and smallholder farmers, while powerful actors often capture benefits.

E.g. Protests by farmers over dwindling groundwater and changing market laws highlight deep-seated anxieties about ecological and economic survival.

Recommendations of the Report:

• Diagnose Honestly: Governments must use bankruptcy diagnostics to identify where systems have crossed irreversible thresholds.
• Prioritize Natural Capital: Shift from protecting only the product (water volume) to protecting the process (the hydrological cycle/ecosystems).
• Transform Agriculture: Phase out water-intensive crops in bankrupt basins and decouple rural prosperity from ever-growing water use.
• Just Transitions: Provide social protection and livelihood diversification for those most affected by reallocations, ensuring a justice lens.
• A New Global Agenda: Use the 2026 and 2028 UN Water Conferences to reset the international agenda, positioning water as a bridge for peace and climate action.

Conclusion:

The report argues that acknowledging Global Water Bankruptcy is not surrender but a necessary first step toward a realistic, science-based and equitable water governance. Accepting that many systems cannot be restored allows societies to adapt to new hydrological realities, prevent further irreversible damage, and treat water as a unifying strategic resource to address shared global challenges.

 

 

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UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 January 2026 GS Paper 2:

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Rethinking Disability and Mental Health Law

Source: TH

Subject: Health

Context: The legal discourse in India intensified regarding the grey zone in disability law, where the Mental Healthcare Act (2017) and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016) fail to intersect for individuals with dual intellectual and psychiatric challenges.

About Rethinking Disability and Mental Health Law:

What it is?

• This rethinking process involves moving beyond the medical model (which views disability as a deficit to be cured) toward a social and rights-based model.
• It focuses on the central paradox of Indian law: having progressive statutes that operate in silos, leaving the most vulnerable—those with permanent cognitive impairments or intellectual disabilities—in a legal limbo regarding guardianship and supported decision-making.

Current Landscape of Laws in India:

• Mental Healthcare Act (MHA), 2017: Replaced the custodial 1987 Act; it grants patients the Right to Make an Advance Directive and establishes Mental Health Review Boards.
• Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016: Expanded disability categories from 7 to 21 and mandated reasonable accommodation in all public spheres.
• National Trust Act, 1999: Specifically addresses Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Intellectual Disability, and Multiple Disabilities, primarily focusing on guardianship.
• Constitutional Provisions: Articles 14 (Equality), 15 (Non-discrimination), and 21 (Life and Dignity) serve as the bedrock for the judiciary to enforce disability rights.

Success of Disability and Mental Health Laws:

• Judicial Enforcement of Accessibility: The Supreme Court has declared accessibility a non-negotiable mandate rather than a suggestion.

E.g. In Rajive Raturi v. Union of India (2024), the court ordered the government to frame mandatory accessibility rules for all public spaces within three months.

• Recognition of Rights-Bearing Citizens: Laws have shifted the focus from charity to rights, allowing individuals to participate in their own treatment plans.

E.g. The MHA 2017’s provision for Advance Directives allows Indians with mental illness to state how they wish to be treated during future periods of incapacity.

• Expansion of Inclusive Education and Employment: Statutory quotas and affirmative action have been broadened to include psychosocial and intellectual disabilities.

E.g. The 4% reservation in government jobs under the RPwD Act 2016 now covers a wider spectrum, including survivors of acid attacks and those with learning disabilities.

• Decriminalization of Suicide: The MHA 2017 effectively neutralized Section 309 of the IPC by assuming severe stress in suicide attempts.

E.g. This has allowed for a medical rather than a punitive approach to mental health crises in hospitals across India.

Challenges and Loopholes:

• Dismal State-Level Implementation: Many states have failed to set up the required regulatory bodies and funds mandated by the 2016 Act.

E.g. In the Seema Girija Lal (2024) case, the Supreme Court flagged that several states had not yet appointed Disability Commissioners or established Special Courts.

• The Guardianship Gap: There is a lack of clarity on how supported decision-making works for those with permanent cognitive challenges.

E.g. Families of adults with severe autism often struggle with the what happens after us dilemma due to slow and complex legal guardianship processes.

• Bureaucratic Crackdowns on Certification: High-profile scams have led to stricter, slower certification processes for genuine persons with disabilities.

E.g. The Puja Khedkar fake certificate scandal in 2024 triggered a nationwide tightening of medical board rules, causing delays for thousands of legitimate applicants.

• Institutional Over-reliance: Despite the push for community living, India lacks the halfway homes and community infrastructure needed to replace old-style asylums.

E.g. The NHRC’s 2023-24 reports exposed inhuman conditions in 46 government mental health institutions where cured patients were still being held illegally.

• Financial and Professional Shortage: Budgetary allocations for disability services remain stagnant despite the increased number of recognized disability categories.

E.g. The Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension remains as low as ₹300-₹500 in many regions, which is insufficient for basic survival.

Best Global Practices:

• Sweden’s Social Services Act: Prioritizes least-restrictive care and ensures the state is legally responsible for providing community-based support alternatives before institutionalization.
• Canada’s Accessibility Roadmap: Uses a sliding scale model that sets immediate minimum thresholds for retrofitting buildings while planning for advanced AI-enabled navigation.

Way Ahead:

• Integrated Legislation: Create a convergence framework that bridges the gap between the MHA 2017 and RPwD Act 2016 for multi-disabled individuals.
• Mandatory State Compliance: Use the Supreme Court’s 2024 deadlines to ensure every state has a functional Disability Fund and Special Courts by mid-2026.
• Digital Certification Reform: Streamline the UDID (Unique Disability ID) process to make it fraud-proof yet accessible for those in rural areas.
• Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR): Invest in halfway homes and sheltered workshops to move away from the custodial institutional model.
• Sensitization of Judiciary and Police: Train ground-level officials to treat disability-related behaviours with medical empathy rather than as law and order issues.

Conclusion:

India has built a progressive rights-rich legal framework on paper, but it remains operationally poor for those living at the intersection of intellectual and mental disabilities. The transition from symbolic policy to lived reality requires the state to fulfill its role as a proactive provider of accessibility and care. True inclusion will only occur when the law treats the most invisible citizens not as risks to be contained, but as individuals entitled to a life of dignity.

 

 

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UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 January 2026 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

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Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework

Context: The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has released the Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework to integrate quantum technologies into the Indian Armed Forces.

About Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework:

What it is?

• The Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework is a strategic vision and roadmap document that lays down how quantum technologies will be systematically adopted and operationalised across the Army, Navy and Air Force to achieve future battlefield superiority.

Aim:

• To integrate quantum capabilities across tri-services through jointness and interoperability.
• To align defence requirements with the National Quantum Mission using a civil–military fusion approach.

Key features:

• Four pillars of quantum integration: Focuses on quantum communication, quantum computing, quantum sensing & metrology, and quantum materials & devices.
• Tri-services jointness: Emphasises unified adoption across Army, Navy and Air Force rather than siloed development.
• Civil–military fusion model: Leverages academia, startups, industry and multiple government sectors through dedicated governing bodies.
• Policy + implementation roadmap: Provides phased milestones, institutional mechanisms and governance structures for execution.
• Future battlefield orientation: Addresses secure communications, superior sensing, faster decision-making, and resilience against cyber-electronic threats.

Relevance for UPSC Examination

• GS Paper III: Science & Technology / Defence

• • Application of emerging technologies (quantum tech) in national security
  • Defence modernisation and indigenous capability building
  • Civil–military technology fusion and Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence

• GS Paper II: Governance & Security

• • Role of CDS and jointness in defence reforms
  • Institutional coordination across ministries and services

 

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UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 January 2026 Facts for Prelims (FFP)

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Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

Source: IT

Subject: History

Context: The Centre is organising Parakram Diwas–2026 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to commemorate the 129th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, celebrating his legacy of courage, sacrifice, and patriotism.

About Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose:

Who he was?

• Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was a revolutionary nationalist leader who advocated complete independence through assertive and military means, diverging from the dominant non-violent strategy of the freedom movement.

Early life:

• Born on 23 January 1897 in Cuttack, Odisha, to a prominent family.
• Brilliant student; studied at Presidency College and Scottish Church College.
• Cleared the Indian Civil Services (ICS) exam in England (1920) but resigned voluntarily to serve the freedom struggle.

Contribution to the Freedom Movement:

• Radical Congress leadership: Rose as a mass leader of the Left wing; elected Congress President in 1938 (Haripura) and 1939 (Tripuri), signalling a shift towards assertive anti-colonial politics.
• Uncompromising demand for Purna Swaraj: Rejected dominion status and constitutional gradualism; argued for immediate independence, especially during Britain’s wartime vulnerability.
• Socialist economic vision: Founded the National Planning Committee (1938), advocating state-led industrialisation, scientific planning, and economic self-reliance.
• Ideological challenge within the INC: Resigned after the Tripuri crisis, exposing tensions between Gandhian non-violence and Bose’s militant political realism.
• Forward Bloc and radical mobilisation: Established the Forward Bloc (1939) to consolidate leftists, youth, and workers under a militant nationalist platform.

Exile and Armed Struggle:

• Escape and globalisation of the struggle: Escaped house arrest in 1941, internationalising India’s freedom movement and shifting it to the geopolitical arena.
• Pragmatic Axis engagement: Sought support from Germany and Japan as a strategic anti-imperialist move, not ideological alignment.
• Revival of the INA: Reorganised the Indian National Army, instilling discipline, nationalism, and a direct military challenge to British authority.
• Azad Hind Government (1943): Proclaimed India’s first government-in-exile, with symbols of sovereignty including currency, courts, and diplomatic recognition.
• Psychological blow to colonial rule: INA’s advance to Imphal and Kohima (1944), though militarily unsuccessful, broke the myth of British invincibility and hastened colonial exit.

Last days and mystery:

• Reported to have died in a plane crash in Taiwan on 18 August 1945, though circumstances remain controversial.
• Multiple inquiries were held; debates over his death continue to this day.

Significance and legacy:

• Popularised the slogan “Give me blood, and I will give you freedom.”
• Inspired mass nationalism, particularly among soldiers and youth.
• INA trials (1945–46) weakened British moral authority and accelerated India’s independence.
• 23 January is celebrated as Parakram Diwas to honour his indomitable spirit.

 

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U.S. Formally Withdraws From the World Health Organization

Source: FE

Subject: International Organisation

Context: The United States is set to formally withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) after serving a one-year notice, despite warnings about adverse impacts on U.S. and global health governance.

About U.S. Formally Withdraws From the World Health Organization:

What is the WHO?

• The World Health Organization is the specialised health agency of the United Nations responsible for coordinating international public health, responding to health emergencies, and setting global health standards to ensure the highest attainable level of health for all.

Establishment and Headquarters:

• Established: 7 April 1948 (World Health Day)
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Membership: 194 Member States

Historical background:

• Emerged from earlier international sanitary efforts such as the International Sanitary Conferences (1851–1938).
• Incorporated the League of Nations Health Organization after World War II.
• Played a decisive role in landmark achievements like eradication of smallpox, near-eradication of polio, and coordination during Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks.

Core functions of WHO:

• Global health leadership: Coordinates international responses to pandemics, epidemics, and health emergencies.
• Standard setting: Develops global norms such as the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and health regulations.
• Universal Health Coverage (UHC): Promotes equitable access to essential health services.
• Technical assistance: Supports countries with policy advice, data, and capacity building.
• Data and surveillance: Collects and disseminates global health statistics and early-warning alerts.

Process of withdrawal from WHO:

• Under U.S. domestic law, withdrawal requires:
  1. One-year advance notice, and
  2. Full payment of outstanding financial obligations.
• The current withdrawal has raised legal concerns as membership dues reportedly remain unpaid, and final modalities are under discussion within WHO’s Executive Board.

Significance of the U.S. withdrawal:

• For WHO: Loss of ~18% of total funding, leading to staff reductions and scaled-back programmes.
• For global health: Weakens pandemic preparedness, disease surveillance, and coordinated emergency response.
• For the U.S.: Reduced access to real-time global health data, early warnings, and multilateral influence in setting health norms.

 

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Long-Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Glide Missile (LRAShM)

Source: BL

Subject: Defence

Context: India will publicly debut its Long-Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Glide Missile (LR-AShM) at the 77th Republic Day parade, marking India’s entry into the exclusive hypersonic anti-ship weapons club.

About Long-Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Glide Missile (LRAShM):

What it is?

• LR-AShM is an indigenous hypersonic glide missile designed to engage high-value naval targets, including aircraft carrier battle groups, at very long ranges with extreme speed and evasive manoeuvres.

Developed by: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Navy, primarily to meet coastal battery and maritime strike requirements.

Aim:

• Enhance maritime deterrence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• Neutralise enemy surface combatants at standoff distances, beyond the reach of conventional cruise missiles.
• Strengthen A2/AD (Anti-Access/Area Denial) capabilities through shore-based, mobile launchers.

Key features:

• Hypersonic speed: Operates in the hypersonic regime (up to ~Mach 10, average hypersonic glide around Mach 5+), drastically compressing enemy reaction time.
• Long range: ~1,500 km operational range (future variants reportedly aiming higher).
• Boost-glide architecture: Two-stage solid propulsion boosts the vehicle; post-burnout unpowered hypersonic glide with multiple manoeuvres.
• Advanced guidance: Inertial navigation + satellite aid + active radar seekers, enabling accurate engagement of moving targets and resilience against electronic countermeasures.
• Low-altitude, manoeuvrable flight: High speed and evasive trajectory reduce radar detection and interception probability.
• Deployment flexibility: Land-based mobile launchers initially; ship-borne and air-launched variants envisaged.

Significance:

• Places India alongside the US, Russia and China in hypersonic glide missile capability.
• Credibly threatens carrier strike groups and strengthens India’s posture across the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

 

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Operation Megaburu

Source: TOI

Subject: Miscellaneous

Context: Operation Megaburu, a major anti-Maoist offensive in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, led to the killing of 16 Maoists, including top CPI (Maoist) leader Anal alias Patiram Manjhi.

About Operation Megaburu:

What it is?

• Operation Megaburu is a large-scale counter-insurgency operation against the CPI (Maoist), conducted in the Saranda forest region, one of the last major Maoist strongholds in Jharkhand.

Launched in: January 2026

Location: Kumdi area, Kiriburu police station, West Singhbhum district, Jharkhand

Forces involved: Central Reserve Police Force (elite CoBRA units) and Jharkhand Police

Aim:

• Neutralise top Maoist leadership and dismantle command structures.
• Clear remaining Maoist pockets in Singhbhum region.
• Advance the Government of India’s goal to end Naxalism by March 2026.

Key features:

• Intelligence-driven operation: Launched on specific inputs about the presence of senior Maoist leaders, including Central Committee members.
• Elite force deployment: Around 1,500 CoBRA commandos deployed for deep-jungle combat in difficult terrain.
• Simultaneous leadership decapitation: Elimination of several area, sub-zonal and regional committee members, including women cadres.
• Largest recovery in Jharkhand: Highest number of Maoist bodies recovered in a single encounter in the state.

Significance:

• Almost all Central Committee members in Jharkhand neutralised; only a small residual presence remains.
• Confirms that Maoists are now confined to limited forest pockets rather than widespread zones.
• Enhances civilian confidence and enables developmental activities in long-affected tribal areas.

 

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Governor’s Power to Address the State Legislatures

Source: DH

Subject: Polity

Context: Several States have seen fresh confrontations with Governors over the content and reading of the Governor’s Address to the State Legislature, raising questions on constitutional propriety.

About Governor’s Power to Address the State Legislatures:

What it is?

• The Governor’s Address is a constitutional formality at the beginning of the first session of a State Legislature after elections and at the start of the first session of every year.
• It outlines the policies and priorities of the elected State government, not the personal views of the Governor.

Constitutional articles involved:

• Article 163: Governor acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, except in constitutionally specified discretionary matters.
• Article 174: Power to summon, prorogue and dissolve the State Legislature (to be exercised on Cabinet advice).
• Article 175: Governor may address or send messages to the House.

• Article 176:
  • (1) At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the Legislative Assembly and at the commencement of the first session of each year, the Governor shall address the Legislative Assembly or, in the case of a State having a Legislative Council, both Houses assembled together and inform the Legislature of the causes of its summons.
  • (2) Provision shall be made by the rules regulating the procedure of the House or either House for the allotment of time for discussion of the matters referred to in such address.

Powers of the Governor:

• Mandatory address, not discretionary speech: The Governor is constitutionally required to address the House but cannot alter, omit, or rewrite the speech prepared by the elected government.
• No independent policy authority: The Address reflects the Council of Ministers’ agenda, reaffirming democratic accountability.
• Limited discretion in summoning sessions: As clarified by courts, the Governor cannot unilaterally summon or delay sessions contrary to Cabinet advice.
• Symbolic constitutional role: The address is meant to communicate government policy, not act as a veto or critique mechanism.
• Procedural compliance: Rules of the House provide time for discussion on the Address, reinforcing legislative scrutiny rather than gubernatorial control.

Key court judgements:

• Nabam Rebia v. Deputy Speaker (2016): The Supreme Court held that the Governor cannot exercise discretion in summoning the Assembly under Article 174 and must act on aid and advice.
• Rajasthan High Court (1966): Held that even a partial reading of the Governor’s Address satisfies constitutional requirements; it is an irregularity, not illegality.
• Syed Habibullah v. Speaker, West Bengal Assembly (Calcutta HC): Ruled that the Address is mandatory, but defects in delivery do not invalidate legislative proceedings.

Significance:

• Federal balance: Reinforces that Governors are constitutional heads, not parallel power centres.
• Democratic legitimacy: Protects the authority of elected State governments over policy articulation.
• Institutional harmony: Prevents politicisation of the gubernatorial office.

 

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UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 January 2026 Mapping:

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Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary

Source: TH

Subject: Mapping

Context: A forest fire has been raging since 20 January 2026 in Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, near the Indo-China border, affecting about 12 hectares of forest land.

About Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary:

What it is?

• Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary is a high-altitude protected area and a designated Important Bird Area (IBA), known for its exceptional alpine to subtropical biodiversity and strategic location along India’s eastern Himalayan frontier.

Located in: East Sikkim, Sikkim.

• Altitude (~1,300 m to >4,000 m): Wide elevation range creates subtropical, temperate and alpine ecosystems, supporting high biodiversity and climate-sensitive species.
• Area (~12,400 hectares): Large contiguous forest expanse enables ecological connectivity, wildlife movement, and functioning of high-altitude watersheds.
• Established (2002): Notified to legally protect fragile eastern Himalayan ecosystems and conserve rare flora, fauna, and migratory bird habitats.

Neighbouring states / nations

• Bhutan to the east
• China (Tibet Autonomous Region) to the north (via Nathu La–Jelep La corridor)
• Extends southwards towards West Bengal, connecting with Neora Valley National Park

Key features:

• Unique biogeography:

• • Part of the Eastern Himalayas biodiversity hotspot
  • Encompasses three biomes:
    1. Eurasian High Montane (Alpine & Tibetan)
    2. Sino-Himalayan Temperate Forest
    3. Sino-Himalayan Subtropical Forest

• Rich flora:

• • Rhododendron forests, Silver Fir, Juniper, oak forests with dense bamboo thickets
  • Alpine pastures and high-altitude wetlands such as Bedang Tso Lake

• Diverse fauna:

• • Tiger, Leopard, Takin, Musk Deer, Goral, Serow, Asiatic Black Bear
  • Himalayan Monal, Snow Partridge, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Wood Snipe (Vulnerable), Tibetan Eared Pheasant (Near Threatened)
  • Acts as a migratory corridor via Nathu La and Jelep La passes

• Strategic & military significance:

• • Located along sensitive India–China–Bhutan tri-junction zone
  • Area hosts Army deployments, affecting access and conservation operations

Significance:

• Critical habitat for endangered Himalayan species and high-altitude wetlands.
• Acts as a natural water regulator through forests and alpine lakes.
• Highly sensitive to climate change, forest fires and reduced snowfall.

 

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