About Vayu Shakti 2026:

• It is a major air combat exercise of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• It will be held Pokaran Field Firing Range in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district and is expected to be the IAF’s largest air combat drill of the year.
• Almost all frontline fighter aircraft and air defence systems that were part of Operation Sindoor will be deployed during the exercise.
• These include Rafale, Su-30 MKI, Tejas, MiG-29, Jaguar, Mirage-2000 and Hawk aircraft, which will be seen engaging ground and aerial targets with precision.
• The exercise will be conducted in a simulated wartime scenario and monitored through the IAF’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), which enables real-time tracking and coordination of air operations. 

About Jagannath Temple:

• It is located in Puri, Odisha.
• It is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a form of the Hindu deity Vishnu.
• It is believed to have been built during the reign of King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva, of the Eastern Ganga dynasty, in the 12th century.
• However, the completion of the temple happened in 1230 AD under Anangbheema Deva III, who also installed the deities in the shrine.
• Ratha Yatra is a Hindu festival associated with Lord Jagannath temple.
• It is also one of the four sacred pilgrimage sites, known as the Chaar Dhaams, that hold great significance for Hindus.
• Architecture:
  • It is a striking example of Kalinga architecture, a distinct style prevalent in the Odisha region.
  • It is constructed in such a way that no shadow of the temple falls on the ground at any time of the day.
  • At the pinnacle of the temple, there is a 20-foot-high chakra (wheel) that is positioned in a way to be visible from any part of the city.
  • Unlike other temples of the region, the carvings on the temples are predominantly of gods and goddesses.

About SPHEREx Mission:

• The Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) telescope is a megaphone-shaped telescope.
• It is a NASA Astrophysics mission launched in 2025.
• It will survey the sky in optical as well as near-infrared light, which, though not visible to the human eye, serves as a powerful tool for answering cosmic questions.
• Over a two-year planned mission, the SPHEREx Observatory will collect data on the other galaxies along with Milky Way in order to explore the origins of the universe.
• With this capability, SPHEREx will produce a three-dimensional map of the universe.
• Scientists will use this map to answer big questions about the early universe, the history of galaxies, and the prevalence of life-sustaining molecules in planet-forming regions of space.
• It also will identify targets for more detailed study by future missions, such as NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope.

About Michelangelo:

• Michelangelo (1475 - 1564) was an Italian Renaissance sculptor, painter, architect, and poet.
• He is recognized as one of the most creative and influential artists in the history of Western art.
• His most celebrated creations have become icons of world culture: the monumental marble David in Florence; the Sistine Chapel ceiling; and the soaring dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica, both in Rome.

About Hudson River:

• It is a river in New York State, United States.
• It originates in several small postglacial lakes in the Adirondack Mountains near Mount Marcy, the highest point in New York.
  • Lake Tear of the Clouds is regarded as the source of its main headstream, the Opalescent River.
• At the New York Harbor, the Hudson River drains into the Atlantic Ocean.

About Mt Aconcagua:

• Location: It is located in Argentina (near the border with Chile)
• It is the highest mountain in South America and the tallest mountain outside of Asia.
• It is one of the mountains in the Principle Cordillera, a mountain range in the Andes making up the boundary between Argentina and Central Chile.
• It is considered as one of the world's “Seven Summits” (each of the seven tallest mountains in each continent).
• Origin: Aconcagua is of volcanic origin.
• It is a folded mountain composed of sedimentary and metamorphic rock.

About Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location: It is located in Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is named after ‘Mehao Lake’ situated in core zone of the sanctuary.
• Major perennial rivers and streams that flow through the sanctuary are Ashupani, Deopani, Enjopan, Diphu and Jowe.
• This Sanctuary consists of four forest types: Tropical Evergreen Forests, Sub-Tropical & Temperate Forests, Temperate Broad Leave Forest and Temperate Conifer Forest.
• Flora: Important tree species are HollocK, Khokan, Mekai, Simul. The bamboo of the variety Dendrocalamus Hamiltonii is found in abundance.
  • The medicinal plants Coptis Teeta (Mishmi Teeta) is an endemic species and Taxus baccata are available here.
• Fauna: Clouded leopard, marbled cat, wild dog, spotted linsang, Himalayan Black Bear and Red Panda are some of the prominent species found in the sanctuary.

About Gulf Cooperation Council:

• It is a regional political and economic alliance established in 1981.
• Member countries: It comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• Objective: To foster economic, security, cultural, and social cooperation among its members.
• Headquarters: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• Organizational Structure of the Gulf Cooperation Council:
• Supreme council
  • It is the highest authority of the GCC, composed of the heads of the member states.
  • Its presidency rotates alphabetically according to the names of the countries.
  • It convenes in a regular session annually.
• Ministerial council
  • It is composed of foreign ministers or their representatives from member states.
  • It proposes policies and implements decisions of the Supreme Council.
• Secretariat general: Its responsibilities include preparing studies to enhance cooperation, coordination, and integration in joint Gulf projects and initiatives.

India –GCC Free Trade Agreement

• Key exports from India to GCC include engineering goods, rice, textiles, machinery, gems and jewelry.
• Key sectors of imports from GCC primarily comprise crude oil, LNG, petrochemicals, and precious metals such as gold.

About Lake Urmia:

• Location: It is one of the largest inland lakes located in Iran. 
• It is one of the largest hypersaline lakes in the world.
• Source of Water: The main affluents are the Talkheh River in the northeast and the twin rivers Zarīneh and Sīmīneh in the south.
• Protection Status: It is designated as is a Ramsar Site and part of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB).

About Sarus crane:

• It is the tallest flying bird in the world.
• Habitat: They live mainly in wetlands such as canals, marshes, and ponds, sometimes near humans.
• Distribution: They live in Southeast Asia, northern India, and northern Australia.
  • In India, most sarus cranes are widely distributed along the Gangetic plain and in eastern Rajasthan in the northern states of India. Population densities decrease going to the south.
• This species is not known to be migratory.
• Features of Sarus Crane:
  • It has a predominantly grey plumage with a naked red head and upper neck and pale red legs.
  • They are regarded as the least social crane species, found mostly in pairs or small groups of three or four. 
  • They are monogamous birds and pairs mate for life.
  • Nests are constructed on water in natural wetlands or in flooded paddy fields.
  • Lifespan: It has been estimated that cranes in general can live 30 to 40 years.
• Conservation Status of Sarus Crane:
  • IUCN: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix II
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule IV