Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for October 28, 2024. If you missed the October 27, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here

FRONT PAGE

Spain PM reaches today for inaugural of India’s first pvt. facility for military aircraft

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interest

What’s the ongoing story: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez recently inaugurated the Tata Advanced System Limited-Airbus facility for the production of C-295 military aircraft in India.

Key Points to Ponder:

• India and Spain Relations-Know in detail

• Discuss the evolution of India-Spain diplomatic relations since their establishment in 1956. How have historical factors influenced these relations?

• Enumerate the key areas of cooperation between India and Spain. How do these align with India’s foreign policy objectives?

• Analyse the role of defense and security cooperation in India-Spain relations.

• Evaluate the importance of technology and innovation partnerships between India and Spain, with examples.

• Evaluate the impact of recent high-level visits and summits on India-Spain relations

• What is the scope for future collaboration between India and Spain in emerging sectors like renewable energy, AI, and smart cities?

• C295 aircraft-Know its key features

• How C295 aircraft will enhance India Airforce fleet?

Key Takeaways:

• The medium-lift C295 aircraft is replacing IAF’s Avro fleet. The first 16 aircraft are being delivered in fly-away condition from the Airbus facility in Seville, Spain. The first of the remaining 40 aircraft to be made in Vadodara will roll out by 2026 and deliveries will be completed by 2031.

• The first Make-in-India project in aerospace in the private sector involves the full development of a complete industrial ecosystem: from manufacture to assembly, test and qualification, to delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft.

Do You Know:

• The Vadodara facility is India’s first private military transport aircraft production plant, a partnership between Tata Advanced System Limited (TASL) and Airbus Defence and Space (Airbus DS). Under the first ‘Make in India’ aerospace programme in the private sector, India is to acquire 56 C295 aircraft to replace the IAF’s legacy Avro fleet.

• According to MEA Website, Relations between India and Spain have been cordial since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1956. The first resident Ambassador of India was appointed in 1965.

• Spain is India´s 8th largest trade partner in Europe. Bilateral trade during January – December 2020 stood at US$ 5.015 billion (MINCOTUR, Govt. of Spain), after crossing the US$ 6 billion mark for the first time in 2018.

• The Indian community forms a small percentage of the immigrant population of Spain. Among the Asian communities, the Indian Diaspora is the third largest group. The earliest Indian settlers were Sindhis who came from the subcontinent at the end of the 19th century and settled in the Canary Islands. Many others travelled to Spain from Africa in the 1950´s and 1960´s, while others came directly from India.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????PM Modi, Spanish counterpart to inaugurate Tata’s facility for manufacturing C-295 aircraft

????All about the C295 aircraft assembly plant, inaugurated by PM Modi in Vadodara

Indians lost `120 crore in digital arrest frauds in January-April 2024

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Basics of Cyber Security

What’s the ongoing story: INDIANS LOST Rs 120.30 crore in “digital arrest” frauds, which was highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday, in the first quarter of this year alone, government cybercrime data shows.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is Digital Arrest?

• How Digital arrest scam operates?

• What are the steps taken by GOI to combat Digital arrests Scams?

• What is Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C)?

Key Takeaways:

• Online frauds and criminals typically call potential victims and tell them that they have sent or are the intended recipients of a parcel containing illegal goods, drugs, fake passports or any other contraband item. —In some cases, the criminals contact relatives or friends of the target and tell them that the target has been found to be involved in a crime or an accident, and is in their custody. —The criminals, who often use pictures or identities of police personnel to convey authenticity, usually demand money from the target for a ‘compromise’ and closure of the case. —In certain cases, the victims are “digitally arrested”, and forced to stay visible over Skype or other video conferencing platforms to the criminals until their demands are met

• The cybercriminals are also known to use studios that look like police stations or government offices, and to wear uniforms similar to those of law enforcement agencies.

• A large number of complaints have been made on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) about intimidation, blackmail, extortion, and digital arrests by cybercriminals posing as police officers, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Narcotics Department, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and Enforcement Directorate (ED), etc.

Do You Know:

• The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which coordinates the response to cybercrime in the country, has blocked more than 1,000 Skype IDs linked to such activities, after collaborating with Microsoft.

• The Home Ministry is working with other ministries and their agencies, RBI, and other organisations to combat these criminal activities. I4C has been providing inputs and technical support to police forces of states/ UTs to identify and investigate cases.

• I4C has also posted infographics and videos on its social media platform Cyberdost, and on its handles on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, etc., to increase awareness. The Ministry has advised citizens to be alert and spread awareness about cybercrime.

• In its analysis of trends from January to April, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) found that 46% of cyber frauds reported in this period — in which the victims cumulatively lost an estimated Rs 1,776 crore — originated in these three countries.

• National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) data show 7.4 lakh complaints were made between January 1 and April 30 this year, while 15.56 lakh complaints were received in all of 2023. A total 9.66 lakh complaints were reported in 2022, up from 4.52 lakh the previous year.

• According to I4C, there are four types of scams — digital arrest, trading scam, investment scam (task based) and romance/dating scam.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????UPSC Knowledge Nugget of the day: Digital Arrest

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: 1. In India, under cyber insurance for individuals, which of the following benefits are generally covered, in addition to payment for the loss of funds and other benefits? (UPSC CSE GS1, 2020) 1. Cost of restoration of the computer system in case of malware disrupting access to one’s computer 2. Cost of a new computer if some miscreant wilfully damages it, if proved so 3. Cost of hiring a specialised consultant to minimise the loss in case of cyber extortion 4. Cost of defence in the Court of Law if any third party files a suit Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1, 2 and 4 only (b) 1, 3 and 4 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

2. In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents? (UPSC CSE GS1, 2017) 1. Service providers 2. Data centres 3. Body corporate Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

THE CITY

Delhi’s annual crisis

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: On Sunday, Delhi’s average air quality was in the ‘very poor’ category at 356 — the worst in the country, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The Delhi Environment Minister has warned that the next 15 days are crucial with Diwali festivities (on October 31) and stubble-burning season in the neighbouring states (Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana) coinciding this year.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What are the major sources of air pollution in Delhi?

• How do seasonal factors contribute to the air quality issues in the region?

• ‘The role of stubble burning in neighbouring states in exacerbating Delhi’s air pollution’-Discuss

• What are the public health impacts of Delhi’s air pollution?

• How does prolonged exposure to high pollution levels affect vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly?

• Examine environmental impact of Delhi’s air pollution on soil, water, and plant life.

• Do You think that air pollution contribute to urban heat islands in Delhi?

• Assess the socio-economic implications of Delhi’s air pollution, particularly on migrant labour, daily wage earners, and local businesses.

• Analyse the role of the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT), in managing Delhi’s air pollution crisis.

• Discuss the effectiveness of regulatory bodies, such as the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), in enforcing air quality standards in Delhi.

• ‘The function of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in tackling air quality challenges in India’-What has been its effectiveness in the context of Delhi?

• Do you believe that the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is ineffective in addressing air pollution in Delhi?

• How can technology be leveraged to combat Delhi’s air pollution?

• Discuss the role of technologies like smog towers, air quality monitoring sensors, and satellite imagery.

• How electric vehicles and public transportation reforms can help in reducing vehicular pollution in Delhi?

• Compare Delhi’s air pollution crisis with that of other major global cities such as Beijing or Los Angeles. What lessons can Delhi learn from these cities?

• What are some behavioural changes that citizens can adopt to mitigate air pollution in urban areas?

Key Takeaways:

• This year, the city saw its first bad air day on October 13 when the Air Quality Index (AQI) dipped to the ‘poor’ category (an AQI between 201 and 300). Compared to 2015, except for the 2021 pandemic year, this was very delayed. The days that followed oscillated between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’.

• Prevention of stubble burning has been a “high-priority sector”. As of October 26, a total of 3,434 crop-residue burning events have been reported in Punjab (1,857), Haryana (700), UP (865) and Delhi (12), as per data from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute. To curb this, in-situ and ex-situ management is recommended by the CAQM.

• Artificial rain is being considered as a potential emergency measure by the Delhi government. Environment Minister Gopal Rai has repeatedly called for considering cloud seeding as an emergency measure to induce rain and reduce pollution while urging the Centre to convene a meeting with stakeholders to approve it.

Do You Know:

• According to a 2015 IIT-Kanpur study on sources of pollution in Delhi, among the top contributors to PM 10 (particulate matter of diameter of 10 micrometers or less) emissions annually were road dust at 56%, industrial point sources at 10% and vehicles at 9%. The top four contributors to PM 2.5 (particulate matter of diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less) emissions were road dust (38%), vehicles (20%), domestic fuel burning (12%), and industrial point sources (11%).

• The Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) analysis of data from the Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management shows that among local emission sources, around half of Delhi’s particulate pollution during winter months is from the transport sector.

• One of the key actions to combating air pollution is invoking the Centre’s emergency Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) when the air quality in Delhi-NCR is expected to decline in the winter months.

• The Delhi government has restarted action against End-Of-Life vehicles (petrol and diesel vehicles that have completed 15 years and 10 years of age) in the city. According to officials in the Delhi Transport Department, there are around 1.5 lakh old vehicles and nearly 2,000 of these have been impounded so far.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Delhi’s pollution crisis: A perpetual emergency

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

Notes from an endgame

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination:Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

• General Studies II: Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.

What’s the ongoing story: Bhaskar Chakravorti Writes: The world’s most powerful nation gnaws on its fingernails, there is some comic relief, few reasons for hope.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Describe the process of the U.S. Presidential election. How does the Electoral College system work, and what are its advantages and disadvantages?

• Evaluate the impact of Presidential debates on U.S. election outcomes. How do they shape public opinion and candidate image?

• Discuss the historical basis and significance of the Electoral College in the American Presidential election. What criticisms are associated with this system?

• What are the implications of the “winner-takes-all” approach in the Electoral College. How does it influence campaign strategies?

• Examine how changes in U.S. leadership affect India-U.S. bilateral relations. Give examples from recent administrations.

• How do U.S. Presidential elections impact global geopolitics? Analyze with a focus on South Asia.

Key Takeaways:

• The 2024 election is shaping up to be the most litigated election in US history; lawsuits are being filed almost every day to pre-emptively cast doubt on any unfavourable results. The government has also jumped into the fray: The US Department of Justice has sued the state of Alabama’s top election official for illegally removing voters from its election rolls.

• The enormous burdens being dropped on future generations don’t appear to be a worry on anyone’s mind — be it candidate or voter. How will America ever pay for its massive debt, for example? A $3.5 trillion hole is expected by 2035 under Harris’ plan and $7.5 trillion is expected under Trump’s — these numbers are somewhere between all or twice all of India’s current GDP.

Do You Know:

• The two major political parties nominate their presidential candidates through a series of state primaries and caucuses, where voters express their preferences for who should lead the party in the general election. In the Republican Party, former President Donald Trump secured his party’s nomination with a significant lead over his opponents, officially becoming the Republican nominee at the party convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On the Democratic side, Vice President Kamala Harris entered the race after President Joe Biden withdrew, with no other Democrats contesting her candidacy. Additionally, there are independent candidates running for president.

• Presidential debates provide candidates with a platform to present their policies and answer questions from moderators and the public, giving voters an opportunity to observe candidates discussing and defending their positions on various issues.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????US Presidential Elections 2024: All you need to know about 2024 elections in the United States

????The role of constitution in shaping Indian and American democracies

INDIA-UAE, BIT BY BIT

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interest

What’s the ongoing story: Arush Khanna Writes: The Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) between India and the United Arab Emirates came into force from August 31, 2024. Replacing the earlier Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) which lapsed on September 12, 2024, the BIT marks a significant move to bolster economic cooperation with the UAE, a country which accounts for 3 per cent of the total FDI receipts in India and cumulative investments of $19 billion between 2000-24.

Key Points to Ponder:

• India-UAE Economic Relations-Key Points

• What is the Economic Significance of the UAE for India?

• India and the UAE diplomatic relations established when?

• What is Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)?

• What is CEPA agreement with UAE?

• Map Work-UAE (Seven Emirates)

Key Takeaways:

• According to government data, between April 2023 and September 2024, FDI equity inflows declined 24 per cent whereas the total FDI, which also includes reinvested earnings and capital inflows, contracted by 15.5 per cent.

• Harbouring aspirations of a $5 trillion economy, the Indian government, in its 2024 Interim Budget promised a renewed push to re-energise economic ties with its trade partners. The India-UAE BIT is an important step towards fulfilling that promise.

• A recently constituted expert committee by the Ministry of Law and Justice in its report (February, 2024) has even recommended the inclusion of third party funding in our arbitration regime. In that light, a blanket prohibition of third-party funding for investor-state disputes runs against the domestic tide which has started to embrace the concept.

• The India-UAE BIT broadens the scope of trade by including portfolio investments (Article 1.4) which were specifically excluded in the model BIT. This would allow investors with financial holdings to take recourse under the BIT and make any disputes arising therefrom amenable to the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism (ISDS) under the BIT.

• The Global Trade Research Initiative has rightly flagged this issue by stating that it may increase India’s exposure to disputes over financial instruments, even those that don’t significantly contribute to economic development, moving away from the model BIT’s focus on long-term investments.

Do You Know:

• The India-UAE partnership was forged first on the trade of traditional items, and then strengthened with oil. It found a formal dimension after the creation of the UAE Federation in 1971, and then accelerated in the 1990s, when a liberalised India embraced the opportunity to export to the UAE and markets beyond. The emergence of the UAE as India’s third-largest trading partner has only underlined the positive outlook the two countries share towards economic cooperation.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Why the Gulf matters for India

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

3. Which of the following is not a member of ‘Gulf Cooperation Council’? (2016) (a) Iran (b) Saudi Arabia (c) Oman (d) Kuwait

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: ????The question of India’s Energy Security constitutes the most important part of India’s economic progress. Analyse India’s energy policy cooperation with West Asian countries. (2017)

THE IDEAS PAGE

TOP crops, price volatility & RBI

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story:RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das categorically stated in the minutes of the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting that it is risky to reduce the repo rate as inflation is still not at a comfortable level of 4 per cent. September inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index, surged to 5.5 per cent, while food inflation, affecting the largest population segment, crossed 9.2 per cent. Hence, RBI’s uneasiness in committing to reduce the repo rate is understandable.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What factor distinguishes Indian inflation from many other developed countries?

• Why out of so much commodities that comprise CPI, the highest contributor to overall inflation is tomatoes, onions and potatoes?

• What can the RBI’s repo rate hikes do to contain the troubles coming from tomatoes, onions and potatoes?

• The real solution to tomatoes, onions and potatoes inflation may lie beyond the ambit of the RBI-Analyse this statement

• ‘Operation Green’ and tomatoes, onions and potatoes-Know in detail

• What is Inflation?

• Know the Types of Inflation like Moderate Inflation, Galloping Inflation, Hyper-Inflation, Stagflation, Deflation, Core Inflation etc.

Key Takeaways:

• Tomatoes, onions, and potatoes (collectively referred to as TOP) constitute a substantial portion of the CPI basket. Therefore, fluctuations in their prices significantly influence overall inflation figures.

• Factors such as unseasonal rains, droughts, and logistical challenges disrupt the supply of these vegetables, leading to price hikes.

• Increased demand, along with limited supply, intensifies price escalations. For Instance, in July 2024, wholesale onion prices increased by 106% relative to the prior year, whereas potato prices escalated by 96%.

• The RBI aims to maintain retail inflation at around 4%. However, elevated food prices, especially of TOP vegetables, pose challenges in achieving this target. The transient nature of food price inflation makes it difficult for the RBI to address it effectively through monetary policy tools.

• The government has attempted to manage supply through imports and improving storage facilities. However, these measures often have limited immediate impact due to structural challenges in agriculture and logistics. Schemes like the Price Stabilization Fund aim to buffer price volatility but have shown mixed results due to implementation hurdles.

• Enhancing productivity through modern farming techniques and better irrigation can help stabilize supply. Investing in infrastructure to streamline the supply chain can reduce losses and ensure consistent supply, thereby stabilizing prices. Effective regulation of markets to prevent hoarding and speculative pricing can aid in controlling inflation.

Do You Know:

• Short-term measures like the recent 40 per cent export duty on onions reveal the government’s consumer bias and knee-jerk reactions. The solution lies in processing a portion of TOP crops during surplus periods: Converting at least 10 to 15 per cent of tomato production into paste and puree and dehydrating onion into products like flakes and powder. Successful models like Jain Irrigation’s onion dehydration partnership with farmers, demonstrate how such initiatives can reduce wastage and boost farmers’ income.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Why RBI should cut rates in December

Patent injustice

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story:  Dhanendra Kumar Writes: The Indian biopharmaceutical industry is one of the fastest growing globally and is valued at $60 billion. Contributing to this is an increase in innovation — the country is now ranked 39th in the Global Innovation Index, up from 81 in 2015.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is National Biopharma Mission (NBM)?

• What is the concept of ‘evergreening’ in pharmaceuticals?

• How do drug companies use minor tweaks in formulations to extend patent life?

• What are the consequences of extended patents on drug affordability and accessibility?

• How does ‘evergreening’ impact access to generic drugs, particularly in developing countries?

• What role do patent offices and regulatory bodies play in preventing misuse of patent laws?

• Discuss any recent examples where regulatory interventions have successfully limited patent extensions through minor modifications.

• What measures can be taken to promote innovation in drug development without relying on patent extensions?

• How can governments balance pharmaceutical innovation with the need for affordable healthcare?

Key Takeaways:

• Biopharmaceuticals are medicines made from living cells, such as yeast and bacteria, as against conventional drugs that are made from chemicals. They have revolutionised the treatment of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and serious inflammatory autoimmune diseases. Biopharmaceuticals include biologics and biosimilars. Biosimilars refer to a biologic that is very similar to the one that has been cleared by the authorities for prescription by doctors. That is why they are also called follow-on biologics. They have the same efficacy, are as safe as the reference biologic and are used to treat the same disorders as the first biologic drug.

• Under the Make in India Initiative, the Centre has launched the National Biopharma Mission (NBM) — an industry-academia collaborative mission managed by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council. This $250 million mission, co-funded by the World Bank, aims to accelerate biopharmaceutical development. It supports nearly 150 organisations and 300 MSMEs, with 21 shared infrastructure facilities established for research and biomanufacturing.

• One of the biggest barriers faced by Indian biosimilar manufacturers is patent evergreening. Despite legal safeguards, evergreening remains a challenge in launching affordable biosimilars as seen in the ongoing controversy surrounding pertuzumab, used to treat certain types of breast cancer. In India, due to its heavy disease burden, population density and lack of access to affordable medical care for a majority of the citizens, patent evergreening is a challenge.

Do You Know:

• India is a pioneer in the global biosimilars market. It was the first country to approve a biosimilars product for Hepatitis B. Today, there are 98 approved biosimilars in India, with at least 50 in the market, the most in any country. Many India-made biosimilars have been approved in markets like the US.

• The Indian biosimilars market was valued at $349 million in 2022 and is estimated to expand at a growth rate of 25.2 per cent per annum from 2022 to 2030 to reach $2,108 million by 2030. Between now and 2030, biologic products worth some $170 billion will lose patent protection. This will open a window of opportunity for Indian biopharma to launch more biosimilar products.

• India’s patent legislation, particularly Section 3(d) of the Patents Act, 1970, aims to prevent “evergreening” by rejecting patents for small innovations that lack substantive improvement. Under this, Novartis’ patent application for the cancer drug Glivec (imatinib), used to treat leukaemia, was rejected as it did not show significant technical advancement. The decision, upheld by both the Madras High Court in 2005 and the Supreme Court in 2013, set a strong precedent against evergreening practices. Section 3(e) of the Act restricts patenting mixtures of known compounds unless a synergistic effect is proven, and Section 3(i) prevents patents on treatment methods.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Government approves pharma mission to develop bio pharmaceuticals

ECONOMY

India’s reliance on imported oil, natural gas grows on stagnant domestic production

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: India’s reliance on imported crude oil and natural gas grew further in the first half of the current financial year as the delta between consumption growth and the more or less stagnant domestic production continued to widen.

Key Points to Ponder:

• How has India’s demand for oil and natural gas changed in recent years?

• Why has domestic production of oil and natural gas not kept pace with demand?

• What are the economic implications of increased dependency on imported oil and natural gas?

• How does reliance on imports impact India’s energy security?

• What are the key challenges hindering domestic oil and gas production?

• How have policy, regulatory, and infrastructure factors contributed to stagnant domestic production?

• What steps has the Indian government taken to boost domestic oil and gas production?

• Evaluate the effectiveness of policies like the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) in addressing these challenges.

• How does import dependency affect India’s diplomatic relations with major oil-exporting countries?

• Discuss how global energy price fluctuations influence India’s import expenses and inflation.

Key Takeaways:

• The country’s oil import dependency in April-September (H1) was 88.2 per cent, up from 87.6 per cent in the year-ago period and 87.8 per cent for the full financial year 2023-24 (FY24), per latest data from the oil ministry’s Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (PPAC).

• Import dependency in the case of natural gas was 51.5 per cent in the first six months of FY25, up from 46.8 per cent a year ago and 47.1 per cent for the full FY24.

• India’s energy demand has been rising rapidly, leading to higher oil and gas imports. Reliance on imported oil has been growing continuously over the past few years, except in FY21, when demand was suppressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The country’s oil import dependency stood at 87.8 per cent in FY24, 87.4 per cent in FY23, 85.5 per cent in FY22, 84.4 per cent in FY21, 85 per cent in FY20, and 83.8 per cent in FY19.

Do You Know:

• Heavy dependence on imported crude oil makes the Indian economy vulnerable to global oil price volatility, apart from having a bearing on the country’s trade deficit, foreign exchange reserves, rupee’s exchange rate, and inflation. The government wants to reduce India’s reliance on imported crude oil but sluggish domestic oil output in the face of incessantly growing demand for petroleum products has been the biggest roadblock.

• India’s crude oil imports rose to 120.5 million tonnes in H1 from 115.9 million in the year-ago period, while domestic production declined slightly to 14.4 million tonnes, per PPAC data.

• The country’s gross oil import bill in the first six months of FY25 rose nearly 12 per cent year-on-year to $71.3 billion.

• Natural gas imports rose 23 per cent year-on-year to 18.98 billion cubic metres in H1, and cost $7.7 billion against $6.5 billion a year ago.

• In early 2015, the government had set a target to reduce reliance on oil imports to 67 per cent by 2022 from 77 per cent in 2013-14, but the dependency has only grown since.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????The other oil imports India needs to worry about

EXPLAINED

Significance of the livestock census, species it will cover

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story:Rajiv Ranjan Singh, the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, on Thursday launched the 21st Livestock Census in New Delhi.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the livestock census all about?

• Which animals will be counted in the 21st census?

• What is the objective of the livestock census?

• How will the 21st livestock census be different from the previous exercises?

• What did the 2019 Livestock Census find?

Key Takeaways:

• Conducted every five years, the census carries out a headcount of the number of domesticated animals, poultry, and stray animals in the country. The census takes into account information about the species, breed, age, sex, and ownership status of the animals in question.

• Since 1919, a total of 20 livestock censuses have been carried out so far, with the last being conducted in 2019. The enumeration process for the 21st census will take place between October 2024 to February 2025.

• According to the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, information on sixteen animal species will be collected in the 21st census. These include: cattle, buffalo, mithun, yak, sheep, goat, pig, camel, horse, ponies, mule, donkey, dog, rabbit, and elephant. In total, the census will capture information on 219 indigenous breeds of these sixteen species recognised by ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR).

Do You Know:

• The data from the census will also be crucial to track progress of achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. The Livestock Census will provide data pertaining to Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), and Target 2.5 (to maintain genetic diversity in food and nutrition), specifically Indicator 2.5.2 (The percentage of local livestock breeds that are at risk of extinction) of the SDGs.

• The census this time will be fully digitised, like the last one in 2019. This will include “online data collection through a mobile application, monitoring at various levels through a digital dashboard, capturing the latitude and longitude of data collection location, and generation of livestock census report through software.”

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Census on livestock in Mumbai to begin from tomorrow

HOW TARDIGRADES ARE ABLE TO RESIST HIGH LEVELS OF RADIATION

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story:A team of researchers has identified the genetic mechanisms that help a newly discovered species of tardigrades (Hypsibius henanensis) withstand high levels of radiation. The species comprises thousands of genes, which become more active when exposed to radiation. They protect the microscopic animals’ DNA from damage and repair breaks, according to the scientists.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is Tardigrades?

• How Tardigrades resist High Radiations?

• How was the study carried out?

• What did the study find?

Key Takeaways:

• ‘Multi-omics landscape and molecular basis of radiation tolerance in a tardigrade’, was published in the journal Science last week. The scientists involved in the research are affiliated with several institutions in China.

• The findings could one day be harnessed to help protect astronauts from radiation during space missions, clean up nuclear pollution or improve cancer treatment, according to a report in Nature.

• Lingqiang Zhang, a biologist at the Beijing Institute of Lifeomics and co-author of the study, told Nature, “This discovery may help improve the stress tolerance of human cells, benefiting patients undergoing radiation therapy.”

Do You Know:

• The scientists discovered 2,801 of the genes in Hypsibius henanensis that were involved in DNA repair. More specifically, they found three factors that help this species survive radiation.

• The first was its ability to quickly repair double-strand breaks in DNA due to radiation exposure, by using a protein called TRID1. “The second factor involved a gene that was switched on during exposure to radiation, resulting in the generation of two proteins that are known to be important for mitochondrial synthesis… in tardigrades, it appears they also help with DNA repair,” according to a report by phys.org.

• The third one was Hypsibius henanensis’s ability to produce different types of antioxidant pigments called betalains. These pigments can mop up some of the harmful reactive chemicals that radiation causes to form inside cells, the Nature report said.

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