Vibrant Villages Programme–II | Trump’s Board of Peace | Bharat GI | India–UK Offshore Wind Taskforce

Vibrant Villages Programme–II

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance

In News

• The Vibrant Villages Programme–II is a Central Sector Scheme launched by the Union Home Minister at Nathanpur village in Assam’s Cachar district.

Vibrant Village Programme(VVP)

• LAunched by – Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
• Aim: To enhance infrastructure in villages along India’s border with China, in states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Arunachal Pradesh.
• Activities under the VVP include: building infrastructures such as housing, tourist centres, road connectivity, providing decentralized renewable energy, direct-to-home access for Doordarshan and educational channels, and support for livelihood generation.

Trump’s Board of Peace

Syllabus: GS2/ IR

In News

• India participated as an observer in the recent inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace on Gaza, held in Washington DC and hosted at the Donald J Trump Institute of Peace.

Board of Peace

• It is an international body chaired by US President Donald Trump, created to oversee the October 2025 ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and manage Gaza’s post-war transition.
• The initiative was proposed in October 2025 and was endorsed the following month by the United Nations Security Council.

Members

• Around 35 global leaders have agreed to join the proposed Board of Peace, out of about 50 invited.
• Participants include key Middle Eastern allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and Egypt, along with NATO members Turkey and Hungary. Several other countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America—including Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Morocco, Armenia and Azerbaijan—have also joined.
• Membership terms would run for three years, with the option of renewal.
• Countries seeking to extend their participation beyond the initial term may be required to contribute $1 billion, while short-term participation would not involve any financial commitment.

Mandate of Board

• The Board will supervise a transitional Palestinian technocratic administration in the Gaza Strip, known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).
• The Board’s mandate also includes efforts to disarm Hamas and oversee the deployment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF), a multinational peacekeeping mission tasked with maintaining security and training a new Palestinian police force.

Bharat GI

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

In News

• ‘Bharat GI’, a national initiative to promote India’s Geographical Indication-tagged products globally, was highlighted at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

Bharat GI

• It serves as an umbrella brand showcasing unique Indian GI products like Coorg coffee and Darjeeling tea on international platforms.
• It is launched by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce.
• It leverages digital tools, including AI-driven traceability and market analytics, to connect artisans directly with global buyers.

Additional Information – Geographical Indication or GI Tag

• It is a name or a sign given to certain products related to a specific geographical location or origins like a region, town, or country.
• A certification for unique products – GI Tag may be regarded as a certification for a particular product with certain specific qualities or has a specific reputation because of its geographical origin.
• GI Tags can be issued for wine and spirit drinks, foodstuffs, agricultural products, handicrafts, and industrial products.
• Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) – At the International level, GI is governed by the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO’s) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
• Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act – In India, Geographical Indications registration is administered by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into force in September 2003.
• Darjeeling tea  – The first product in India to be accorded with the GI tag was Darjeeling tea in 2004-05.

India–UK Offshore Wind Taskforce

Syllabus: GS2/IR

News

• India and the United Kingdom launched the India–UK Offshore Wind Taskforce.

India–UK Offshore Wind Taskforce

• Objective – to provide strategic leadership and coordination for building India’s offshore wind ecosystem.
• Significance- It is aimed at accelerating cooperation in offshore wind development as part of their broader clean energy partnership under Vision 2035.