News In Shorts 08 October 2026: Excess Capacity, Cheetahs, ITLA, LPR & M51.3

India Joins US-Led Initiative on Structural Excess Capacity

Context: India has joined the United States and 13 other economies in signing a joint ministerial statement to address structural excess capacity, amid a US Section 301 investigation into the same issue. 

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Key Points of the Joint Ministerial Statement

• Participating Economies: Argentina, Australia, Canada, European Union, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Poland, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and United States.
• Address Structural Excess Capacity: Called for measures to eliminate persistent overcapacity and production exceeding global demand.
• Curb Non-Market Practices: Called for ending government policies, subsidies, and other forms of support that distort markets and contribute to excess capacity.
• Sectors of Concern: Initial focus areas include automobiles and electric vehicles, batteries, chemicals, foundational semiconductors, and solar panels.
• Collective Action: Signatories agreed to establish dedicated sectoral platforms for information-sharing and coordinated action.
• Technical Cooperation: Participating economies will share non-confidential data and information on excess capacity, its impacts, and measures to mitigate the damage.

About US Section 301

• Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974 allows the United States (US) to investigate foreign trade practices considered unfair or burdensome to US commerce.
• Investigating Authority: Investigations are conducted by the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
• Possible Trade Measures: The United States (US) can recommend or impose additional tariffs and other trade restrictions.

Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve

Context: Recently, two cheetahs were released into Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve (VDTR) in Madhya Pradesh.

• It has become the third cheetah habitat in Madhya Pradesh, after Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Madhya Pradesh has become an excellent example of the revival of a species that had become extinct in Asia. The cheetah population has grown from eight to 60.

Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve

• Location: The reserve spans approximately 2,339 sq km across Sagar, Damoh and Narsinghpur districts of Madhya Pradesh. Also known as the Nauradehi Tiger Reserve.
• Establishment: The area was established in 1997 and designated as a tiger reserve on September 20, 2023, following the integration of Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Biodiversity: It supports species such as tiger, leopard, chital, sambar, nilgai and bear.
• Vulture Conservation: The reserve is also significant for the conservation of endangered Indian vulture species.

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Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA)

Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of the Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA) as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to strengthen integrated planning, research, project appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment in India’s transport and logistics sector.

Why is ITLA Needed?

• Promote multimodal and integrated transport planning.
• Improve coordination among transport-related Ministries and agencies.
• Enhance infrastructure efficiency and sustainability.
• Reduce logistics costs and improve India’s global logistics competitiveness.

Key Functions of ITLA

• National Apex Institution: Act as the apex institution for transport and logistics planning, research, project appraisal, monitoring and policy support.
  • Undertake data analytics for evidence-based decision-making.
• National Transport Master Plan: Prepare a 10-year or longer-term National Transport Master Plan.
  • Cover roads, railways, ports and shipping, civil aviation, inland waterways, coastal shipping, urban mobility and logistics.
• Integrated Planning: Evaluate short-term sectoral plans and annual plans of transport Ministries.
  • Ensure their alignment with the National Transport Master Plan.
• Project Appraisal and Monitoring: Undertake technical appraisal of Central Government transport infrastructure projects costing ₹500 crore or more.
  • Monitor implementation and facilitate coordinated issue resolution.
• National Transport Data Repository
  • ITLA will develop a National Transport Data Repository (NTDR) by integrating datasets from multiple sources, including:
    • GSTN e-way bill
    • FASTag
    • VAHAN
    • GPS-based systems
    • Urban traffic management systems

Living Planet Report, 2026

Context: The WWF Living Planet Report 2026 reports an average 73% decline in the population sizes of monitored vertebrate species between 1970 and 2022. 

About the Living Planet Report 2026

• The Living Planet Report 2026, published biennially by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), assesses the status of global biodiversity by tracking changes in the populations of monitored vertebrate species through the Living Planet Index (LPI). 
• Living Planet Index (LPI): Tracks changes in the relative abundance of monitored vertebrate populations over time, rather than measuring the absolute number of animals lost.
  • Developed by: Zoological Society of London (ZSL). 
  • Coverage: Includes 35,803 population trends across 5,790 vertebrate species.
  • Groups Covered: Mammals, birds, fish, and amphibians.

Key Findings of the Living Planet Report 2026

• 73% Decline: Average population sizes of monitored vertebrate populations declined by 73% between 1970 and 2022.
• Ecosystem-Wise Decline: Freshwater ecosystems (85%) recorded the highest decline, followed by terrestrial (69%) and marine ecosystems (59%).
• Stable or Increasing Populations: Around half of the populations included in the LPI are stable or increasing, despite the overall negative trend.
• Major Drivers: Habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation, climate change, invasive species, pollution, and disease are major drivers of wildlife population declines.
• Food System: Food and agriculture are the largest drivers of biodiversity loss. 
• Conservation Success: Recoveries were recorded in green turtles, bluefin tuna, tigers, and southern African elephants. 
• Tiger Recovery: Global wild tiger numbers increased from 3,200 in 2010 to around 5,700 in 2025.

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France Tests M51.3 Nuclear-Capable Ballistic Missile

Context: France successfully test-fired the M51.3 nuclear-capable ballistic missile from the Le Vigilant, a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.

About the M51.3 Missile

• The M51.3 is an advanced variant of France’s M51 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).
• It was launched off the coast of Brittany and impacted in the North Atlantic.
• The missile carried no nuclear warhead during the test.

Strategic Significance

• The test strengthens France’s nuclear deterrence capability.
• It demonstrates France’s continued efforts to modernise its nuclear arsenal.
• It comes amid rising security tensions in Europe, particularly concerns over Russian threats and hybrid attacks.

France’s Nuclear Status

• France is the only nuclear-armed state in the European Union.
• Its nuclear deterrent is based mainly on submarine-launched ballistic missiles and air-launched nuclear weapons.

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