Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for March 1, 2024. If you missed the February 29, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here

THE WORLD

China slams UK, US criticism of Hong Kong’s upcoming national security law

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

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-A public consultation period for a new Hong Kong national security law closes on Wednesday amid concerns that the legislation, which authorities want to put in place soon, will further erode freedoms in the financial hub.

• What Article 23 says?

• For Your Information-The law, known as Article 23, is aimed at addressing what officials call deficiencies or loopholes in the national security regime, which was bolstered just four years ago by another national security law imposed directly by China. It will target crimes including treason, theft of state secrets, espionage, sabotage, sedition and “external interference” including from foreign governments. The Hong Kong legislature, which is dominated by pro-Beijing lawmakers, is expected to approve it.

The law comes as the former British colony is trying to improve its image, and economy, amid international criticism of a China-led crackdown on freedoms and dissent which has sent many pro-democracy politicians and activists into jail or exile. Several lawyers and activists say the law criminalises basic human rights such as freedom of expression.

“Many of these proposed provisions are vague and criminalize people’s peaceful exercises of human rights, including the rights to freedom of association, assembly, expression and the press,” a group of 80 civil society groups, including British-based Hong Kong Watch, wrote in a joint letter.

Hong Kong authorities, however, say the new law is necessary as “threats posed by external forces and local terrorism remain”, adding that national security is the “fundamental prerequisite for the survival and development of a state”. The government also said Article 23 would give “full and prudent consideration” to the United Nations’ International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR)”

A previous attempt to enact Article 23 in 2003 was shelved after an estimated 500,000 people protested against it. This time, there have been no large-scale protests and most public submissions so far support the legislation. Authorities have proposed harsher penalties for “seditious intention” and “possession of seditious publication”, an addition some lawyers say is concerning, as many journalists, activists and media outlets in recent years have been charged with sedition before being jailed or shut down.

“The United Nations Committee of human rights experts already concluded in 2022 that the sedition provisions should be repealed and Hong Kong should refrain from using them to suppress the expression of critical and dissenting opinions,” said Mark Daly, a Hong Kong based human rights lawyer.

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FRONT PAGE

Big leap for chip mission: 3 plants, Rs 1.26 lakh crore investment get Govt nod

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change

Main Examination: 

• General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

• General Studies III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-THE UNION Cabinet on Thursday approved three chip related projects worth about Rs 1.26 lakh crore, including what could be India’s first semiconductor fabrication plant, which will be set up by the Tata Group along with a Taiwanese technology partner.

• What you know about India’s first semiconductor fabrication plant?

• What are the proposals currently on the table?

• What had happened to the earlier fab proposals?

• Why is India focusing on semiconductor manufacturing?

• What factors may contribute to potential challenges in the domestic semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem?

• What makes Semiconductors the most important commodities in the global market right now?

• What is the supply chain for semiconductors?

• What are the steps in the semiconductor supply chain?

• Which nation holds the distinction of being the primary source of semiconductors on a global scale?

• “A key element of the partnership is the resolve to diversify the global semiconductor supply chain, which is at the centre of the rivalry between the world’s number 1 and 2 economic powers, the US and China”-What do you understand by this?

• What is semiconductor?

• What is the most basic component of a semiconductor chip?

• Semiconductors are the foundation of nearly every modern electronic gadget. Where does India stand in the semiconductor industry?

• The Government of India has undertaken several initiatives to promote electronics manufacturing-Know the important schemes

• What are the current challenges of the semiconductor industry in India?

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GDP growth accelerates to 8.4% in Q3, estimate for FY24 pegged at 7.6%

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

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

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth surged to a six-quarter high of 8.4% in October-December, pushing up the growth rate for 2023-24 to 7.6% as against the earlier estimate of 7.3%, data for third quarter GDP and second advance estimates for 2023-24 released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Thursday showed.

• Second advance estimates for 2023-24 released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) says what?

• What is advance GDP estimates?

• First Advance Estimates (FAE) and Second Advance Estimates (SAEs) of GDP-What do you understand by this?

• First Advance Estimates (FAE) and Second Advance Estimates (SAEs) of GDP-who releases these estimates?

• First Advance Estimates of GDP and 2nd Advance Estimates of GDP: what’s changed since 1st?

• How many revisions of GDP estimates are done, and why?

• What is the highlight in the Second Advance Estimates (SAEs)?

• What do understand by Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) and Government Final Consumption Expenditure (GFCE)?

• What is Gross domestic product?

• What are the different types of Gross Domestic Product?

• GDP-How it is Calculated?

• Gross domestic product (GDP) and Gross National Product (GNP)-Key Differences

• What is Gross Value added (GVA)?

• How are GDP and GVA different?

• What do the GDP data show?

• What do the GVA data show?

• ‘Nominal’ GDP and ‘Real’ GDP-What is the difference?

• So what do the FAE data show?

• What is contributing to India’s growth?

• For Your Information-Private final consumption expenditure, an indicator of consumption demand, rose by 3.5% year-on-year in October-December, while government final consumption expenditure decreased by 3.2%. Gross fixed capital formation, an indicator of investment, grew by 10.6% during the third quarter.

The 8%-plus GDP print for Q3 came as a surprise as many economists had expected growth to slow down to about 6.5% from the previous quarters. The Reserve Bank of India’s projection for growth in Q3 was also pegged at 6.5%. There were several revisions in the GDP data released on Thursday. The GDP growth for financial year 2022-23 was revised down to 7% from 7.2%, adding to the favourable base effect for the 2023-24 calculations.

For the second quarter of July-September, the GDP growth estimate was revised up to 8.1% from 7.6%, while that for the first quarter of April-June was revised to 8.2% from 7.8%, the NSO data showed. This came on the back of a downward revision in FY23 quarterly growth rates to 5.5% in July-September (earlier 6.2%) and 12.8% in April-June (earlier 13.1%). For October-December 2022-23, growth rates were revised down to 4.3% from 4.5%.

Commenting on the GDP data, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on ‘X’: “Robust 8.4% GDP growth in Q3 2023-24 shows the strength of Indian economy and its potential. Our efforts will continue to bring fast economic growth which shall help 140 crore Indians lead a better life and create a Viksit Bharat.”

Economists pointed out the divergence between the GDP and the Gross Value Added (GVA) growth rates on account of a sharp rise in net taxes, which are estimated to have grown by 32% in Q3 FY24 in real terms. GDP is Gross Value Added or GVA plus product taxes minus subsidies. GVA, which reflects national income from the output side, is expected to grow at sub-7% with estimated 6.9% in FY24 as against 6.7% last fiscal (earlier estimate was 7.0%). This compares with GDP of 7.6% in FY24 as against 7.0% in previous fiscal.

With a 7.6% GDP growth estimated for FY24, back-of-the-envelope calculations show that the fourth quarter of January-March is estimated to post a growth rate of 5.9%. The average GDP growth for the first three quarters of FY24 is 8.2%. “The divergence between GDP and GVA is due to net taxes less subsidies which jumped by 32% year-on-year, boosting GDP growth. The increase is due to a sharp decline in subsidy expenditure,” IDFC First Bank’s economist, Gaura Sen Gupta, said in a note.

Apart from the downward revision in GDP growth for the previous financial year, the other factor that seems to have contributed to the Q3 GDP growth is non-pass through of lower input cost by the industrial sector as, despite modest volume growth, much higher value-added growth has been recorded in the industrial sector, economists said.

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Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: ????With reference to Indian economy, consider the following statements: (UPSC GS1, 2015) 1. The rate of growth of Real Gross Domestic Product has steadily increased in the last decade. 2. The Gross Domestic Product at market prices (in rupees) has steadily increased in the last decade. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 ????A decrease in tax to GDP ratio of a country indicates which of the following? (UPSC GS1, 2015) 1. Slowing economic growth rate 2. Less equitable distribution of national income Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: ????Define potential GDP and explain its determinants. What are the factors that have been inhibiting India from realizing its potential GDP? (UPSC GS3, 2020) ????Explain the difference between computing methodology of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) before the year 2015 and after the year 2015. (UPSC GS3, 2021)

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

The turbulent country

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: India and its neighborhood- relations.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-Sharat Sabharwal Writes: Ravaged by the harmful policies of its army-led establishment, Pakistan is desperately in need of a new direction that could restore a modicum of internal stability and put its economy on an even keel. However, its recent election has been a throwback to its past of widespread poll rigging and flawed mandates. It has resulted in a political muddle.

• Pakistan had gone to polls on February 8, 2024-What is the result?

• Election in Pakistan and its implication on India-Know in detail

• What is happening in Pakistan?

• Who won the Pakistan election 2024?

• What are key takeaways from Pakistan’s election 2024?

• Why is there political unrest in Pakistan?

• How does political unrest in Pakistan affects India?

• Whom does New Delhi talk to in Pakistan?

• The current unrest in Pakistan could present a new challenges to the already strained relationship between India-Pakistan?

• The current unrest in Pakistan can put a damper on hopes for effective regional cooperation and commerce in South Asia-Discuss

• “The unrestrained powers and insatiable avarice of Pakistan’s ‘deep state’ are to blame for the majority of the country’s internal problems and subsequent instability”-How far you agree?

• India-Pakistan Relations-Know the Historical Background

• “A strong, stable and peaceful Pakistan is in India’s interest”-Elucidate

• “Geoeconomics” rather than geostrategy between India and Pakistan-Comment

• What makes peace elusive between India-Pakistan in present scenario?

• Current events shaping India-Pakistan Relations-What are they?

• For Your Information- No political party has a simple majority in the National Assembly. The single largest group of PTI-backed independents — who have since got themselves a party tag by joining the little-known Sunni Ittehad Council — is anathema to the army. Consequently, the second largest party, PML(N), is set to form the government with Shehbaz Sharif as Prime Minister. Following tough bargaining, PPP, the third-largest party in the assembly, has agreed to extend outside support to the government in return for Asif Ali Zardari being made president and some other constitutional posts. The combined strength of PML(N) and PPP barely touches the halfway mark. Therefore, PML(N) is also looking for the support of 20 to 25 legislators of the smaller parties, notably 17 of MQM-Pakistan, that have served as instruments for the army’s political engineering in the past. The new government takes charge at a time when Pakistan finds itself in choppy waters — a precarious economy, sharp political polarisation and a fraught security situation. It will be faced with tough challenges, including PTI’s obstructionist tactics and widespread resentment against poll rigging.

To begin with, managing the unwieldy coalition will in itself be a challenge. Cognisant of the onerous governance agenda ahead, PPP has so far refused to take any cabinet berths. The glue that kept PML(N) and PPP together in the last Shehbaz Sharif government — their shared anxiety about Imran Khan’s popularity — continues to exist. However, in case PPP continues to stay out, it will be free to question the government’s policies, and worse, still may ditch it if it sees political costs rising. Further, the setback suffered by the army as a result of PTI’s impressive showing in the election will not put it out of the business of governance. Having consolidated his position within the army following the PTI violence against some army establishments in May 2023, army chief Asim Munir has remained engaged in governance matters, including economic management. He is unlikely to step back. Nawaz Sharif has passed up the prime ministership in favour of his brother, who is more acceptable to the army, because of the poor numbers of his party in the National Assembly and the consequent greater vulnerability of the government to the army’s machinations. He has invested more in Punjab, where his party needs to revive its political fortunes, by giving the chief ministership to his daughter and political heir Maryam Nawaz. However, he will wield considerable influence on both the federal and Punjab governments.

Because of the above pulls and pressures, the incoming government is likely to be weak and unstable. Pakistan’s internal compulsions make a case for expanding the tactical thaw with India beyond the restoration of the LoC ceasefire in February 2021. Large segments of industry and traders in Pakistan have been calling for the restoration of bilateral trade. The ongoing suspension of trade hurts the Pakistani economy far more than it does India. However, the new government’s room for manoeuvre remains constrained by three factors. First, its internal preoccupations will leave it with little energy to devote to the complex India dossier. Second, the highly polarised political environment rules out the political consensus necessary to move forward constructively with India. And lastly, the government’s ability to deliver will remain contingent upon the will of the army.

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THE IDEAS PAGE

Lure of the magic cure

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- There is something deeply disturbing about the way the marketing and sale of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU) medicine is going on. In November 2023, the Supreme Court had given directions to Patanjali Ayurveda to stop publishing misleading advertisements but a day later, to establish its credibility, the company issued a press release reporting that it has conducted preclinical and clinical trials on a database of more than one crore people, to test the efficacy of its products. Earlier this week, the matter came up again before the apex court, which took umbrage at the continued issue of advertisements despite having been given an assurance. The next date is March 19.

• What is the controversy with Patanjali products?

• What are the allegations against Patanjali?

• Why Supreme Court came down heavily on Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali products?

• What is the legal argument against Patanjali’s actions?

• Quick Recall-The Indian Medical Association (IMA) filed a petition at the apex court in August 2022 after Patanjali published an advertisement titled “MISCONCEPTIONS SPREAD BY ALLOPATHY: SAVE YOURSELF AND THE COUNTRY FROM THE MISCONCEPTIONS SPREAD BY PHARMA AND MEDICAL INDUSTRY.”

The petition details other instances where Ramdev called allopathy a “stupid and bankrupt science”, and made claims about allopathic medicine being responsible for Covid-19 deaths. The IMA also accused Patanjali of contributing to vaccine hesitancy during the pandemic by spreading false rumours.

The IMA claims that these attacks against modern medicine through a “continuous, systematic, and unabated spread of misinformation” come alongside Patanjali’s own efforts to make false and unfounded claims about curing certain diseases through the use of Patanjali products.

The IMA claimed that the advertisement was in direct violation of the Drugs & Other Magical Remedies Act, 1954 (DOMA), and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (CPA). The publishing of false and misleading advertisements is an offence under both statutes.

Under Section 4 of the DOMA, there is a prohibition against publishing misleading advertisements relating to a drug. This is described as an advertisement which “directly or indirectly gives a false impression regarding the true character of the drug”, “makes a false claim for the drug”, or “is otherwise false or misleading in any material particular.” Publishing a misleading advertisement under the DOMA is punishable with up to six months imprisonment, and/or a fine for the first offence. On the second offence, the period of imprisonment can extend to one year.

The IMA has also highlighted the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Ministry of AYUSH and the Advertising Standards Council of India in January 2017. AYUSH, which is responsible for developing and setting medical standards for traditional medicine, agreed to identify misleading advertisements that may be in violation of the DOMA, and send complaints to the Council for review. Despite this, the IMA claims that Patanjali has continued to disregard the law and violate the DOMA. Section 89 of the CPA contains even more stringent punishments for false or misleading advertisements. It states: “Any manufacturer or service provider who causes a false or misleading advertisement to be made which is prejudicial to the interest of consumers shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years and with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees; and for every subsequent offence, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and with fine which may extend to fifty lakh rupees.”

The CPA also provides the definition for a “misleading advertisement”. It includes advertisements which give a false description of the product or service, partakes in unfair trade practices, deliberately conceals important information, or is likely to mislead the consumer about the nature, substance, quantity or quality of the product or service.

• How has the SC approached the case so far?

• What is Central Consumer Protection Authority?

• For Your Information-The authority is being constituted under Section 10(1) of The Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The Act replaced The Consumer Protection Act, 1986, and seeks to widen its scope in addressing consumer concerns. The new Act recognises offences such as providing false information regarding the quality or quantity of a good or service, and misleading advertisements. It also specifies action to be taken if goods and services are found “dangerous, hazardous or unsafe”.

The CCPA, introduced in the new Act, aims to protect the rights of the consumer by cracking down on unfair trade practices, and false and misleading advertisements that are detrimental to the interests of the public and consumers. The CCPA will have the powers to inquire or investigate into matters relating to violations of consumer rights or unfair trade practices suo motu, or on a complaint received, or on a direction from the central government.

• What do you understand by “misleading advertisement”?

• Do You Know-The Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 defines “misleading advertisement” in relation to any product or service which— (i) falsely describes such product or service; or (ii) gives a false guarantee to, or is likely to mislead the consumers as to the nature, substance, quantity or quality of such product or service; or (iii) conveys an implied representation which, if made by the manufacturer or seller or service provider thereof, would constitute an unfair trade practice; or (iv) deliberately conceals important information.

Briefing reporters, CCPA Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare said IAS coaching institutes lure civil services aspirants by resorting to “misleading and exaggerated” claims. Taking cognizance of such advertisements, the CCPA has issued notices against them for violation of provisions of Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, Khare said. Citing examples of misleading claims made by one of the coaching institutes, Khare said the institute claimed credit for 682 of 933 selected candidates in the UPSC examination in 2022. However, when the CCPA sent notice to the coaching institute, it clarified that of the 682 candidates, 673 took mock interviews at its institute and 9 aspirants enrolled in courses like test series and general studies, the official said, adding that the coaching institute did not specify that the majority of successful candidates availed only mock interviews and tests.

The senior official said the current market revenue of the coaching industry in the country is Rs 58,088 crore. Approximately, over 2 lakh students move to Kota annually, she said.

• How Central Consumer Protection Authority deals with false or misleading advertisements?

• Do You Know-Section 21 of the new Act defines the powers given to the CCPA to crack down on false or misleading advertisements. According to these provisions, if the CCPA is satisfied after investigation that any advertisement is false or misleading and is harmful to the interest of any consumer, or is in contravention of consumer rights, the CCPA may issue directions to the trader, manufacturer, endorser, advertiser, or publisher to discontinue such an advertisement, or modify it in a manner specified by the authority, within a given time.

The authority may also impose a penalty up to Rs 10 lakh, with imprisonment up to two years, on the manufacturer or endorser of false and misleading advertisements. The penalty may go up to Rs 50 lakh, with imprisonment up to five years, for every subsequent offence committed by the same manufacturer or endorser. CCPA may ban the endorser of a false or misleading advertisement from making endorsement of any products or services in the future, for a period that may extend to one year. The ban may extend up to three years in every subsequent violation of the Act.

• What are the other powers vested with CCPA?

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EXPLAINED

Mauritius, Maldives, and In

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 interests.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-Earlier this week, the first team of Indian “technical personnel” reached the Maldives to take charge of one of the three aviation platforms stationed in the country. They will replace Indian military personnel whose first batch is required to leave the islands by March 10.

• Map Work-Mauritius

• India and Maldives-Know the background

• India and Mauritius-Know the background

• For Your Information-Soon after coming to power in November 2023, Mohamed Muizzu, the pro-China President of the Maldives, requested India to withdraw its military personnel from his country. Muizzu had defeated the incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the presidential election on the “India Out” plank.

Late on Monday, the Maldives defence ministry said the first team of Indian civilians had arrived, and would take charge of the operation of a helicopter in Addu, the country’s southernmost atoll. The two countries had agreed on February 2 that India would pull out 80-odd military personnel stationed in the Maldives between March 10 and May 10.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs had said that the two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft in the Maldives would be operated by “competent Indian technical personnel” who would replace the “present personnel”. Following Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Mauritius in March 2015, India signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the “improvement in sea and air transportation facilities” at Agaléga island.

The MoU, signed in the Mauritian capital Port Louis in the presence of Modi and then Prime Minister of Mauritius Anerood Jugnauth, provided for “setting up and upgradation of infrastructure for improving sea and air connectivity at the Outer Island of Mauritius which will go a long way in ameliorating the condition of the inhabitants of this remote island…[and] enhance the capabilities of the Mauritian Defence Forces in safeguarding their interests in the Outer Island”.

At the inauguration of the new airstrip and jetty on Thursday, Prime Minister Jugnauth recalled that several attempts to upgrade the airstrip on the 70-sq-km island since 2003 had not been successful. He said that India was committed to assisting his country, and “deplored” the “India-bashing campaign” by “ill-minded persons in and outside Mauritius”.

“The March 2015 MoU (to upgrade the airstrip and the Set James jetty) reflected India’s commitment to continually assist Mauritius in meeting its development goals satisfying the principles of mutual benefit…,” Prime Minister Jugnauth said. “There has never been any agenda for Mauritius to relinquish its sovereignty over the Agalega islands, as some ill-minded persons in and outside Mauritius attempted to make believe. Likewise, there has never been any agenda to transform Agalega to a military base… I wish to forcefully deplore, condemn India-bashing campaign, some people in Mauritius have commented,” he said. The presence of India would lead to more effective monitoring of Mauritius’ vast 2.3 million sq km Exclusive Economic Zone, and equip it to better counter-piracy, terrorism, narcotics and human trafficking, and illegal and unregulated fishing, Prime Minister Jugnauth said.

• China in Indian Ocean-Know in detail

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The hydrogen-powered ferry PM launched

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday virtually launched India’s first indigenously developed hydrogen fuel cell ferry. The vessel, manufactured by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), will be deployed for service at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Built at a cost of Rs 18 crore, the ferry will be handed over to the Inland Waterways Authority of India by the CSL after rigorous trials. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways met 75 per cent of the project cost.

• What are the special features of the vessel?

• How do hydrogen fuel cells work?

• What type of cells have been used in the vessel?

• How was it developed?

• What is the Harit Nauka initiative?

• For Your Information-The Hydrogen fuel cell vessel is a 24-meter-long catamaran, which can carry 50 people in its air-conditioned passenger area. The accommodation area has been constructed with high-quality fiberglass reinforced plastic, similar to metro train coaches.

Hydrogen fuel cell vessels do not use conventional batteries as the primary storage house of electrical energy. The vessels run on hydrogen fuel, which is stored in cylinders. This boat has five hydrogen cylinders that can carry 40kg of hydrogen and support eight hours of operations. The vessel is also fitted with a 3-kW solar panel.

The hydrogen fuel cell-powered vessel has zero emission, zero noise and is energy-efficient, which makes it more environment-friendly. Since there are no moving parts, the ferry requires less maintenance than combustion vessels.

A hydrogen fuel cell generates electricity by utilising the chemical energy contained in hydrogen. It releases only pure water, not discharging pollutants. Hydrogen is loaded into cells. The energy within the hydrogen is converted into electricity and heat, which is then used to power the vessel’s propulsion mechanism. In the fuel cell, the hydrogen reacts with the oxygen in the air to produce electricity. Unlike batteries, hydrogen fuel cells do not require recharging. Provided uninterrupted supply of fuel and oxygen, these cells would work continuously.

This vessel uses a 50-kW PEM (proton-exchange membrane) fuel cell, with Lithium-Ion Phosphate batteries. The advantage is that the cells can quickly change their output depending upon the power demand. PEM fuel cells are popular in automotive applications because they operate at a lower temperature, and are lighter and more compact. India has now indigenously developed hydrogen fuel cells and their related systems.

The vessel has been built completely by the CSL, which also developed the vessel automation system and power management system. The hydrogen fuel cell system was developed by KPIT Technologies, Pune, in collaboration with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Labs, under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology.

While hydrogen fuel cell technology has been under development for maritime applications, only a few countries globally have done demonstration projects. This ferry, thus, has given India an early mover advantage to tap the potential of hydrogen as an emerging green fuel in the marine sector.

The ‘Harit Nauka’(green boat) initiative of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways envisages a green transition of inland vessels. In line with this, the ferry can be replicated in other parts of the country for urban mobility. It is also a boost to the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

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