22 January 2026 Current Affairs (With PDF)

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Diego Garcia

Why in News

US President Donald Trump criticised the proposed return of Diego Garcia by the United Kingdom to Mauritius, citing concerns over a strategic US military base located on the island.

About Diego Garcia

• Location: A coral atoll in the central Indian Ocean, part of the Chagos Archipelago.
• Geostrategic Position: Located roughly midway between Africa and Southeast Asia, making it critical for Indo-Pacific military operations.

Historical Background

• 1965: The Chagos Archipelago was separated from Mauritius by the UK and administered as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).
• Displacement: Indigenous Chagossians were forcibly removed to enable military use.
• International Law:
  - ICJ Advisory Opinion (2019): UK’s continued administration declared unlawful.
  - UN General Assembly: Called upon the UK to complete decolonisation by returning Chagos to Mauritius.

UK–Mauritius Agreement (May 2025)

1. Sovereignty:

• Mauritius recognised as sovereign over the entire Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia.

2. Lease Arrangement:

• UK retains a 99-year lease over Diego Garcia.
• Ensures continuity of UK–US military operations on the island.

Military Significance

• Hosts a joint UK–US military base.
• Functions:
  - Forward operating base for US Navy and Air Force
  - Supports operations in Middle East, East Africa, and Indo-Pacific
  - Key hub for logistics, intelligence, surveillance, and power projection

Why the Issue is Sensitive

• US Concerns: Any sovereignty change is seen as potentially affecting strategic autonomy and base security.
• Geopolitics: Rising competition in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) involving China, US, and regional powers.
• Decolonisation vs Security: Tension between international legal norms and realpolitik security interests.

Emergence of Neo-Royalism Challenging the Institutionalised International Order

Why in News

Global politics is witnessing a shift towards neo-royalism and neo-feudalism, with leaders like US President Donald Trump symbolising a broader trend also visible in Russia, China, and Turkey.

Background Context

• From the 17th century onwards, and especially in the 19th–20th centuries, foreign policy evolved from a personal prerogative of monarchs to a rational, institutionalised, rule-based process.
• In recent years, this order has weakened due to:
  - Decline of bureaucratic authority
  - Erosion of elite and expert-led governance
  - Rise of personalised leadership
  - Growing influence of transnational technology corporations

Key Concepts

1. Neo-Royalism

• Meaning: Concentration of power in a single sovereign leader, governing through personal loyalty networks rather than institutions.
• Key Features:
  - Vertical centralisation of power
  - Loyalists over institutions
  - Policy driven by personal preferences, grievances, and transactional politics
• Impact: National interest becomes personalised rather than institutionally defined.

2. Neo-Feudalism

• Meaning: Diffusion of power among private actors and transnational networks that weaken state authority.
• Examples: Tech giants shaping digital public space
  - Platforms like Starlink influencing warfare, communication, and geopolitics
  - Social media shaping narratives, elections, and conflicts
• Analogy: Resembles a medieval order with overlapping authorities instead of sovereign state dominance.

Emerging Challenges

1. Erosion of Rule-Based International Order:

• Weakening of institutions like UN, WTO, NATO
• Example: US withdrawal from 66 international organisations

2. Weaponisation of Economic Tools:

• Use of tariffs, sanctions, and market access as coercive instruments
• Threatens global supply chains and economic stability

3. Weakening of State Institutions:

• Decline in bureaucratic autonomy & Reduced role of expert-led policymaking and legislatures

4. Rise of Private Power:

• Tech corporations exercise quasi-sovereign authority through Control over data, Influence on information and narratives, Digital infrastructure dominance

Why It Matters for India

• Challenges strategic autonomy and multilateralism
• Necessitates institution-building, digital sovereignty, and coalitions of middle powers
• Reinforces India’s role in promoting a multipolar, rule-based global order

Monroe Doctrine

Why in News

Recent foreign policy positions of U.S. President Donald Trump are being described as the “Donroe Doctrine”, drawing parallels with the 200-year-old Monroe Doctrine, particularly in terms of regional dominance and non-interference by external powers.

About the Monroe Doctrine

• Proclaimed: 1823
• By: U.S. President James Monroe
• Context: Post-Napoleonic era, when European powers sought to re-colonize Latin America
• Nature: Unilateral U.S. foreign policy declaration
• Objective: Establish U.S. dominance and security in the Western Hemisphere

Three Core Principles

1. Non-Colonization:

• European powers must not establish new colonies in North or South America.

2. Non-Intervention:

• Europe should not interfere in the internal affairs of independent American states.

3. U.S. Non-Interference in Europe:

• The U.S. would stay out of European wars and colonial affairs.

Evolution and Interpretation

• Initially defensive, the doctrine later became a basis for U.S. interventionism in Latin America.
• Expanded through Roosevelt Corollary (1904): Justified U.S. intervention to maintain stability in the Western Hemisphere.
• In the Cold War era, it was used to counter Soviet influence in the Americas.

Contemporary Relevance – “Donroe Doctrine”

• Reflects a neo-Monroeist approach:
  - Emphasis on hemispheric dominance
  - Reduced tolerance for external powers (China, Russia) in the Americas
  - Preference for unilateral and transactional diplomacy over multilateralism
• Aligns with broader trends of neo-royalism and personalised foreign policy.

One Station One Product

Why in News

Indian Railways’ One Station One Product (OSOP) initiative has expanded to over 2,000 railway stations, empowering 1.32 lakh artisans as of January 2026.

About One Station One Product (OSOP)

• Launch Year: 2022
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Railways
• Aim: Promote indigenous, local and specialised products of different regions

Key Features

• Dedicated stalls/outlets at railway stations for local products
• No middlemen, ensuring better income realization for producers
• Rotational display to accommodate multiple artisans
• Integration with railway footfall for nationwide visibility

Products Covered

• Handicrafts: Wood carving, metal craft, terracotta
• Handlooms & Textiles: Chikankari, zari–zardozi, ikat, local weaves
• Tribal artefacts and indigenous crafts
• Processed and semi-processed local food products

Significance

• Economic Empowerment: Livelihood support to artisans and local producers
• Cultural Preservation: Revival of traditional crafts and GI-based products
• Inclusive Growth: Supports rural and semi-urban economies
• Market Expansion: Converts railway stations into micro-economic hubs

Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary

Why in News

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has notified Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs)

• Legal Basis: Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
• Purpose: Act as a transition zone between areas of high protection (PAs) and regions of lesser protection.
• Extent: Generally up to 10 km around Protected Areas, but site-specific variations are permitted.
• Objective: Regulate activities to reduce anthropogenic pressure and promote sustainable development.

About Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary

• Established: 1971
• Area: 610.5 sq km
• Location: Rajasthan — parts of Rajsamand, Udaipur, and Pali districts
• Significance: Surrounds the Kumbhalgarh Fort (a UNESCO World Heritage Site)

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