Current Affairs — Tuesday, 21 July 2026

Mains themes

• UPSC may frame Jammu and Kashmir statehood as a question on constitutional status, Centre-Union Territory relations, democratic representation, and the limits of prolonged transitional arrangements after constitutional restructuring.
• UPSC can ask about piracy as a maritime-security threat, the legal significance of the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, 2022, and the role of Indian naval and coast-guard assets in interdiction and prosecution. The case also fits questions on jurisdiction over crimes on the high seas and the need for faster, specialised adjudication.
• UPSC can frame the issue around India’s response to piracy on sea lines of communication, the role of the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, 2022, and the balance between deterrence, crew safety, and enforcement against transnational maritime crime.