In this edition of the UPSC Prelims ‘SEE’ Snapshot we examine three current themes – the security threat of GPS spoofing and GPS jamming, the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) decision to keep the repo rate unchanged, and the Indian Meteorological Department’s (IMD) criteria for declaring a heatwave. Each topic is linked to UPSC‑relevant concepts and potential exam questions.

Key Developments

In the ongoing US‑Iran conflict, navigation systems of ships and aircraft have been disrupted by GPS interference, highlighting the strategic importance of GPS spoofing and GPS jamming.
On April 8, 2026 the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) kept the policy repo rate at 5.25%. The RBI projected GDP growth to fall to 6.9% in 2026‑27 from 7.6% in 2025‑26, while headline retail inflation is expected to average 4.6% this fiscal year.
IMD has issued repeated heatwave alerts for Punjab and Haryana in April 2026, marking an earlier onset of extreme heat compared with the traditional May‑June window.

Important Facts

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) include GPS, Europe’s Galileo, Russia’s GLONASS, China’s BeiDou and India’s NavIC.