Daily Current Affairs

March 20, 2025

Current Affairs

India must act as a unifier in the Indian Ocean Region

Context: India’s geographical location and historical ties with the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) makes it a key stakeholder in regional security and stability. However, IOR lacks a cohesive security framework due to its diversity and self-interest-driven politics. 

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: India’s Maritime Security and Strategic Interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Current challenges in the IOR: 

  • Lack of robust regional institutions: IOR lacks effective regional institutions to facilitate dialogue or cooperation, largely due to national self-interests and diversity among states. 
  • Fragmentation of regional initiatives: Various attempts to create a regional identity resulted in multiple organisations like IORA, SAARC, BIMSTEC, IPOI, CSC, and IONS. Most of these initiatives lack momentum, except for the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS).
  • Shiting focus towards Indo-Pacific region: The Indo-Pacific paradigm, promoted by the US, has diverted attention from IOR-centric frameworks. 

Maritime security threats: Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and assertive actions in the South China Sea pose challenges to maritime security and international shipping.

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India's Maritime Diplomacy: 

  • India's maritime policy centers on promoting regional cooperation by initiatives such as SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region). 
  • Indian Navy (IN) is a central component of this policy.
    • Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR): Most notably exemplified by the 2004 tsunami, where India gave immediate aid to neighboring countries that were hit.
    • Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA): India provides real-time maritime traffic data to neighboring countries to counter illegal activity and promote security.
    • Naval Cooperation: Mechanisms such as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) foster cooperation between IOR navies to meet shared security issues.

Way Forward: 

To realise its true potential as a “preferred security partner” and “first responder” in the IOR, India needs:

  • Capability development: Develop a fully funded programme for security and HADR assistance, including amphibious heavy-lift capability and hospital ships. 
  • Improve Coordination: Enhance cooperation between the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs to enhance efficiency in reacting to crises.
  • Multilateral Engagements: Engage actively in regional fora to create an integrated security structure that tackles collective issues. 

In the changing world order, maritime diplomacy will become ever more important. India needs to engage its maritime diplomacy, humanitarian operations, and strategic prowess to come together and shape the Indian Ocean Region. As K.M. Panikkar correctly pointed out, the Indian Ocean is not another sea area to India—it holds the very pivot of its national interests. 

Sonic Weapons

Context: The President of Serbia has denied that his police forces deployed a banned ‘sonic weapon’ to disperse protestors in the capital city, Belgrade. Serbia is currently witnessing mass anti-government protests against widespread corruption and nepotism.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Sonic Weapons.

Acoustic or Sonic Weapons: 

  • Acoustic or sonic weapons are devices that produce very loud sounds over long distances. They can be designed to emit painful audible or inaudible sound waves.
  • Working: Such weapons typically comprise hundreds of transducers — electrical devices that convert energy from one form to another — to create highly concentrated and amplified sound. 
  • Utility: 
    • Crowd dispersal weapon. In 2004, for the first time, the US military used speciality equipment capable of projecting loud sounds over vast distances in Iraq. 
    • Can be used as voice amplifiers to transmit voice messages or other sounds.

Damage: These weapons can cause significant harm to the eardrums and delicate organs of the ears and cause tinnitus (ringing sensation in ears) and hearing loss.

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Different types of Sonic Weapons: 

  • Long-range acoustic devices (LRADs): It has a range of 8,900 metres for intelligible speech, and produces a highly directional beam of extremely loud sound which can reach up to 160 decibels (dB).
    • Sounds over 120 dB can cause permanent hearing damage from even short periods of exposure. Sounds over 140 dB are extremely painful. 
  • Infrasonic weapon: It delivers very low-frequency sounds that would be inaudible but could cause pain and disorientation. Experts are still investigating its capabilities.

Mosquito: This device produces very high-pitched sounds that are audible and painful to only younger people — usually teenagers and those in their twenties. It does not affect older people (30 and above). It is not audible to adults because hearing fades as one gets older.

Offshore Mining Controversy in Kerala

Context: The recent decision of the Union Government to auction offshore mining blocks including three off the Kollam coast in Kerala has triggered widespread protests. The Kerala government and fishing communities oppose the move, citing environmental and livelihood concerns.

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Offshore Mining; Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act 2002; Impacts of Offshore mining. 

What is Offshore Mining?

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  • Offshore mining is the process of retrieving mineral deposits from the deep seabed at a depth of more than 200 metres.
  • In the process, poly-metallic nodules, including precipitated iron oxy-hydroxides and manganese oxides (onto which metals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, titanium and rare earth elements gather) are retrieved and unwanted sediments are flushed back into the sea.

Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act 2002:

  • The OAMDR Act, 2002 regulates mineral development in India’s maritime zones. As per the OMDR Act, offshore area means the territorial waters, continental shelf, exclusive economic zone and other maritime zones of India.
  • Amendment in 2023 introduced:
    • Private sector participation in deep-sea mineral exploration and mining.
    • Competitive e-auction process for awarding production leases for offshore minerals.
    • 50-year lease period for mining blocks.
  • Implications:
    • Encourages private investment in resource extraction. Increases mineral availability for construction and industrial use.
    • Raises concerns over environmental degradation and coastal ecosystem destruction.
    • Challenges the rights of coastal communities dependent on fishing.

Offshore Mining in Kerala:  

  • A study by Geological Survey of India (GSI) found 745 million tonnes of construction sand off Kerala’s coast. Three mining blocks off Kollam contain 300 million tonnes of sand at depths of 48m–62m.
  • Centre’s stand:
    • Under the OMDR Act, the Central government has the right to control mines and minerals in offshore areas. 
    • Fishing and related developmental activities up to 12 nautical miles in the sea is a State subject, as per the seventh schedule of the Constitution. State control applies only up to 12 nautical miles.
  • Kerala’s opposition:
    • Kerala Legislative Assembly passed a unanimous resolution against offshore mining.
    • Claims mining will irreversibly damage marine biodiversity and fisheries.
      Questions the Centre’s complete control over offshore mineral wealth, as States receive no direct royalty.

Impacts of Offshore Mining: 

  • Impact on Fisheries and Livelihoods: Kerala’s fishing industry supports 11 lakh fishermen across 222 coastal villages. Kollam parappu (Quilon Bank) is one of India’s richest fishing zones. The impacts include:
    • Toxic substances released into the sea can harm aquatic ecosystems. Decline in marine catch due to habitat destruction. 
    • Sediment plumes from seabed excavation disrupt photosynthesis by blocking sunlight.
    • Mining vessels pose risks to traditional fishing activities.
  • Ecological Risks: 
    • Clouding of water affects the euphotic zone limits photosynthesis and plankton growth.
    • Spread of sediment plumes beyond mining zones causes large-scale ecological damage.
    • Disturbance of marine biodiversity affects entire food chains.

Union Government’s Justification & Response: 

  • Exclusion of Marine Protected Areas: The government has ensured that 130 marine protected sites across coastal states are not included in the offshore mining zones.
  • Identification of Biodiversity Hotspots: 106 Important Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Areas (ICMBAs) have been identified to safeguard ecologically sensitive regions.
  • Formation of Offshore Areas Mineral Trust. The trust includes coastal states as stakeholders with funds allocated for mitigating environmental damage and supporting affected communities.
  • Commitment to sustainable mining practices: The Centre asserts that mining will be conducted with appropriate safeguards to minimise ecological harm.

Way Forward

  • Comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before mining approvals.
  • Stakeholder consultations with coastal communities and state governments.
  • Revenue-sharing mechanisms to ensure coastal states benefit from offshore mining.
  • Strict environmental regulations to prevent damage to marine biodiversity.
  • Exploring sustainable alternatives like deep-sea mining technology with minimal disruption.

National Wildlife Health Policy 

Context: Five years after Covid-19 was declared a pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that likely jumped from bats to humans, the central government is reviewing an interim draft of a National Wildlife Health Policy (NWHP).

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: National Wildlife Health Policy; National One Health Mission. 

Key Components of the National Wildlife Health Policy

  • NWHP proposes a comprehensive surveillance system to monitor wildlife health across terrestrial, marine, and avian ecosystems. 
  • The policy would be aligned with the National One Health Mission to coordinate efforts for pandemic preparedness and integrated disease control. 
  • National Referral Centre for Wildlife (NRC-W) will act as a referral centre to investigate wildlife mortalities and outbreak events. It will facilitate disease diagnostics, treatments, and could be one of the nodal authorities for surveillance.
  • National Wildlife Health Database can act as a centralised repository of real-time or near-time surveillance data, historical data along with databases from animal husbandry and human health. 
  • Wildlife Health Information System has been proposed to streamline disease surveillance, facility-level reporting and spatial-temporal data.
  • Establishment of Satellite Diagnostic laboratories near critical forest habitats will enhance timely disease detection. 
  • Improving vaccination among livestock near National Parks to mitigate zoonotic disease risks through community engagement. 
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Need of National Wildlife Health Policy: 

  • Over 60% of emerging infectious diseases impacting humans are getting transmitted from animals to humans. 
  • As per government data, India has a network of 1,014 protected areas which includes 106 national parks, 573 wildlife sanctuaries, 115 conservation reserves and 220 community reserves spread over 5.32% of its geographical area. Wildlife acts as a reservoir of pathogens and thus monitoring their health, in the wild and in captivity, has become an imperative. 

Challenges in the Current Framework: 

  • Fragmented disease surveillance: Wildlife health monitoring is spread across multiple ministries (Environment, Agriculture, and Animal Husbandry), leading to poor coordination and data exchange.
  • Lack of centralised wildlife health database: No unified system exists to track real-time disease outbreaks, making early detection and response difficult.
  • Limited diagnostic infrastructure: India lacks specialised wildlife disease labs, delaying diagnosis and treatment of emerging infections.
  • Inadequate capacity: Forest officials and veterinarians in wildlife areas often lack training and resources for disease detection and management. 
  • Zoonotic spillover risk: Unchecked human-wildlife interactions (livestock grazing near forests, illegal wildlife trade) increase the risk of zoonotic diseases like Covid-19.
  • Regulatory gaps: No specific legal framework for wildlife health management; existing laws (Wildlife Protection Act) focus more on conservation than disease prevention.
  • Limited community involvement: Lack of awareness and participation from local communities in disease prevention, such as vaccinating livestock near protected areas.
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National One Health Mission: 

  • Launched in 2022.  
  • Aim: To coordinate across Ministries in achieving overall pandemic preparedness and integrated disease control against priority diseases of both human and animal sectors. 
  • The mission will help in institutionalising the 'One Health' approach. One Health recognises that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and shared environment. 
  • Human and animal pandemic preparedness is a key pillar of the One Health Mission which relies on effective surveillance strategies, boosting research, innovation community engagement and data integration across sectors. 
  • One of the key goal is Creation of a network of BSL 3/4 labs: 
    • This network will play a critical role in preventing, detecting, and responding promptly to disease outbreaks across human, livestock and wildlife sectors.
    • Currently there are 22 labs in this Network.  
  • This mission involves 13 ministries and departments, including the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) etc. 
  • National Institute for One Health in Nagpur will act as the coordinating body for national and international activities in the field of One Health. 

Linking Voter ID with Aadhaar

Context: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to collaborate with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to link voter records with Aadhaar. 

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Election Commission, UIDAI, Voter ID Aadhar linking

Mains: Voter ID- Aadhaar linking- benefits, concerns

Key Facts on Voter ID-Aadhaar Linking

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  • Form 6B introduced by ECI: for collecting Aadhaar details of voters.
  • Legal basis: Sections 23(4), 23(5), and 23(6) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
  • Voluntary Linking: Aadhaar submission is not mandatory.
  • Amendments proposed in Form 6B to include an option to cite reasons not providing Aadhaar (with explanation).
  • Data collected: 66 crore voters have voluntarily submitted Aadhaar.
    • Presently, two databases (voter records & Aadhaar) for these 66 crore voters have not been linked. (Aadhaar has not been used to weed out duplicate entries from electoral rolls).
    • ECI is working with UIDAI to figure out how to link the two databases, at least for those voters who have voluntarily submitted Aadhaar to ECI.
  • Controversy: Some states have assigned identical EPIC numbers to different voters, causing controversy. ECI’s response: Replacement of duplicate EPIC numbers within 3 months.

ECI and UIDAI: 

  • Election Commission of India (ECI): Constitutional Body under Article 324. Responsible for conducting free and fair elections in India.
  • Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI): Statutory body under the Aadhaar Act, 2016. Issues 12-digit Aadhaar numbers for identity verification.

Legal & Policy Framework for Voter ID-Aadhaar Linking: 

  • The initiative is based on Sections 23(4), 23(5), and 23(6) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
  • Ensures that no voter is denied registration or removed from the electoral rolls due to non-submission of Aadhaar.
  • Amendment to Form 6B is being introduced to clarify the voluntary nature of Aadhaar linking.

Potential benefits of Voter ID-Aadhaar Linking: 

  • Elimination of duplicate voters and reducing electoral fraud.
  • More transparent elections with credible voter rolls.
  • Aadhaar-based verification can simplify the registration process.
  • Enhances electoral data accuracy for better governance and improved voter turnout.

Concerns

  • Privacy issues: Potential misuse of voter data misuse or unauthorised surveillance.
  • Risk of disenfranchisement: Those without Aadhaar may face hurdles in voter registration.
  • Legal ambiguities: Despite voluntary status, requiring reasons for non-submission of Aadhaar  raises questions about the true voluntariness of the initiative. 
  • Potential for voter list manipulation or electoral roll tampering by opposition parties. 

India ranks 24th in Free Speech Survey

Context: A new global survey by the Future of Free Speech, an independent U.S.-based think tank, has ranked India 24th out of the 33 countries surveyed on the question of support for free speech.

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: India’s ranking in global surveys.

Mains: Free Speech in India

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Key Findings of the Report

1. Global Rankings:

  • Top Performers: Scandinavian nations led the rankings with Norway (87.9) and Denmark (87.0) securing the highest scores.
  • Biggest Improvements: Indonesia (56.8), Malaysia (55.4), and Pakistan (57.0) showed the most improvement but still ranked lower.
  • Democratic nations like the United States, Israel, and Japan experienced some of the biggest drops. Since 2021, more countries have witnessed a decline rather than an improvement in free speech support.

2. India’s Position in the Survey: 

  • India ranked 24th with a score of 62.6, positioned between South Africa (66.9) and Lebanon (61.8).
  • Public perception: While most Indians value free speech without government censorship, support for criticising government policies is below the global average.
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Challenges to Free Speech in India: 

  • Legal and political restrictions:
    • India’s sedition law (Section 124A of the IPC) has been used to suppress political dissent.
    • Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) has been criticised for targeting journalists, activists, and opposition voices.
    • IT Rules 2021 give the government broad powers to regulate social media and digital content, leading to censorship concerns.
  • Rise in self-censorship: Fear of legal repercussions and online harassment discourages open expression. Media houses and journalists often face political and economic pressures, leading to biased reporting or avoidance of critical issues.
  • Selective tolerance for free speech: While free speech is widely supported in principle, it is often opposed when it contradicts political beliefs or religious sentiments. E.g., Arrests of activists, journalists, stand-up comedians highlight inconsistent application of free speech rights.

Way Forward

  • Amending outdated laws like sedition laws and UAPA provisions that suppress dissent.
  • Strengthening judicial oversight to prevent misuse of laws against activists and journalists.
  • Educational institutions and media should encourage free discussion on diverse perspectives.
  • Political parties should commit to respecting free speech rights across ideological lines.
  • Strengthening laws that protect journalists from government pressure and corporate influence. Ensuring that social media regulations do not lead to arbitrary censorship.
  • Encouraging fact-based discussions on government policies and political discourse.

NASA Astronauts return to Earth after 9 months

Context: American astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have returned to Earth onboard SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after the longest ever unscheduled stay in the International Space Station (ISS). They splashed down off the coast of Florida, US after a journey of 17 hours from the ISS.

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key facts about Boeing's CST-100 Starliner; SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft; International Space Station; Impacts of Space travel. 

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Major Highlights

  • In June 2024, the NASA astronauts embarked on a mission to ISS, aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, initially planned for an eight-day duration.
  • The astronauts aimed to validate the capability of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner in taking crewed missions to the ISS.  However, Starliner spacecraft faced technical issues, and their stay was extended to approximately nine months (286 days).  

Causes of the delay

  • Technical Malfunctions: During the mission, Boeing Starliner spacecraft experienced several technical problems, including thruster malfunctions and Helium leaks in the thrusters. 
  • Alternative return vehicle: Given the unresolved technical issues with Starliner, NASA decided that the astronauts would return to Earth aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, scheduled for February 2025.
    • Crew Dragon is the only U.S. spacecraft capable of flying people in orbit (conducting crewed orbital flights). 
    • Boeing Starliner (also known as CST-100) is a spacecraft manufactured by Boeing under a contract with NASA's Commercial Crew Development program. It hoped to compete with the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. 

Astronauts with most days in Space: 

  • Russia's Oleg Kononenko has made five trips to space spending a total of 1111 days, on his last journey he returned to earth after 374 days.
  • Soviet Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov holds the record- 438 days at the Mir space station between January 1994 and March 1995. 

Also Read: How does Space Travel affect the Health of an Astronaut? 

The impacts of being in space, especially for long periods of time, on the body are still being studied. Past studies showed that bone density and muscle quality deteriorated faster in space than on earth. Low gravity impacts brain fluids and may alter brain structure and increase risk of heart disease. 

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