Current Affairs — 01 June 2026

📖 Explanation

Under the India-Oman CEPA, Oman has agreed to remove customs duties on 98% of its tariff lines, which covers approximately 99% of the value of India's exports to Oman. A tariff line is a single category of goods in the customs schedule. This zero-duty access makes Indian products such as petroleum goods, machinery, rice, and electronics more competitive in the Omani market. Before the CEPA, some Indian goods faced duties as high as 100%.

📖 Explanation

Unlike most Gulf nations whose trade routes pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a large portion of Oman's coastline faces the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, outside the strait. Ports such as Salalah and Duqm can therefore continue operating even when traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted due to regional tensions. This geographical position makes Oman a more reliable and stable trade and energy gateway for India in West Asia. The CEPA signed in December 2025 and effective from 1 June 2026 formalises this strategic partnership.

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Pakistan played the role of chief intermediary between the U.S. and Iran during this crisis, a fact highlighted by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. Mediation in complex diplomatic disputes is a recurring theme in international relations questions. Pakistan's geographic proximity to Iran and its established back-channel links made it a credible neutral bridge. Turkey, Qatar, and Oman have historically played mediating roles in West Asian affairs, making them strong distractors, but none was specifically credited here.

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Israeli forces captured Beaufort Castle, a 900-year-old fortress in southern Lebanon, marking their deepest penetration into Lebanese territory in about 26 years. Beaufort Castle sits on a strategic ridge in south Lebanon and has historically been a militarily significant position commanding wide views of the region. Krak des Chevaliers is located in Syria, while the Citadel of Tripoli and Sidon's castle are in northern and coastal Lebanon respectively, making them plausible but incorrect alternatives for aspirants unfamiliar with Lebanese geography.

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The 2026 BRICS Culture Track, hosted by India, has four official meetings spread across multiple cities. The second Culture Working Group meeting is scheduled in Varanasi, featuring five panel discussions covering themes such as ethical AI in the creative economy, copyright, heritage protection, and sustainable development. The third meeting will be held in Bhopal, and a BRICS Theatre Festival is planned in Delhi in October 2026. India had earlier hosted the very first BRICS Cultural Ministers' Meeting in Goa back in 2016.

📖 Explanation

BRICS began as a grouping of five founding members — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — from which the original acronym was formed. The group has since expanded significantly. As of 2026, the BRICS culture track brings together 11 full member nations: the original five plus Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Indonesia. In addition, around 10 newly joined partner countries also participate in the culture track meetings.

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The Sugauli Treaty of 1816 made the Kali river the India-Nepal border. The two sides disagree on where the river's source lies, which is the root of the Kalapani-Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura dispute.

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The revised plan means all three Virginia-class submarines will be in-service (used) vessels drawn from the existing US Navy fleet, instead of the original two used and one new, to cut cost and simplify operations.

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The Genome India Project is supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and aims to sequence 10,000 Indian genomes to build a national database capturing India's diverse, under-represented genetic variation.

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The Rs 8,550 crore outlay flows through the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), funding SMAM and its Crop Residue Management component, plus 5,000 custom hiring centres for affordable machine rental.

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The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow chokepoint through which much of the world's oil and gas passes. A single disruption there can spike prices, showing that diversifying suppliers alone does not equal true energy security.

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The export levies comprise the Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED) and the Road and Infrastructure Cess (RIC). These central duties are revised every fortnight using average international fuel prices and apply only to exports, not domestic sales.

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The Court held the ECI can look into citizenship while revising rolls because Section 16 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 bars non-citizens from being voters. Exclusion only affects voting, not a person's legal citizenship status.