Current Affairs 17 January 2025

Content:

1. ISRO Executes Satellite Docking, Places India in Elite Space Club
2. Sriharikota to Get Third Launch Pad
3. Tamil Nadu’s ‘Drone Didis’ Spray Acres of Farmlands in a Jiffy
4. Singapore to Help India’s Semiconductor Industry
5. Long Overdue, Short-Term Regimen for TB Set to Be a Game Changer
6. Costly HPV Vaccine Needs to Be Part of National Immunisation Programme
7. The Impacts of Rupee Weakening
8. 2024 Was Not Just Hottest but Also the Moistest Year, Inducing Global Catastrophes

ISRO Executes Satellite Docking, places India in elite space club

Context: Historic Achievement

• ISRO successfully executed its first satellite docking experiment (SpaDeX), making India the fourth country after the U.S., Russia, and China to achieve this feat.

Relevance : GS 3(Space )

Mission Details:

• Satellites Involved: SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target).
• Launch: The satellites were launched on December 30, 2024, via PSLV C60 into a 475-km circular orbit.

Docking Process:

• Steps Completed:
  • Manoeuvre from 15m to 3m hold point.
  • Docking initiation with precise alignment.
  • Retraction for secure attachment and rigidisation for stability.

• The docking was initially postponed on January 7 and 8 due to drift and abort scenarios but successfully completed on January 11, 2025.

Significance of SpaDeX:

• Demonstrates critical technologies for future space missions, including:
  • Building an Indian space station.
  • Lunar sample return missions.
  • Manned lunar missions.

• Post-docking, ISRO gained control of the two satellites as a single unit.

Follow-Up Objectives:

• Undocking and Power Transfer:
  • Demonstrating electric power transfer between docked satellites for in-space robotics and payload operations.

• Application Missions:
  • Satellites will be separated and operated for respective payload missions with a lifespan of up to two years.

Technical and Operational Challenges:

• Required precise manoeuvres and ground simulations to address drift and abort scenarios.

Strategic Implications:

• Advances India’s capabilities in spacecraft docking, a critical step toward enhancing space exploration and operations.
• Positions India among elite nations in space docking technology.

ISRO’s Statement:

• Acknowledged the achievement as a historic milestone for the nation and congratulated the team.

Sriharikota to get third launch pad

Context : Union Cabinet Approval

• Approval granted for constructing a third launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota.
• Project allocated an outlay of ₹3,984.86 crore with a timeline of four years for completion by early 2029.

Relevance : GS 3(Space)

Strategic Significance:

• Will serve as a standby for the existing two launch pads.
• Enhances ISRO’s capacity to handle increased launch demands and evolving requirements.

Support for Advanced Missions:

• Designed to accommodate ISRO’s Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLVs), set to debut in 2031.
• Supports manned spaceflight missions, with the first mission targeted for 2026.
• Capable of handling advanced vehicles like the Launch Vehicle Mark 3 with semi-cryogenic stages.

Universal Configuration:

• The new pad will feature a flexible design to cater to a variety of launch vehicles, ensuring scalability and adaptability for future needs.

Enhanced Space Capabilities:

• Addresses India’s space transportation requirements for the next 25–30 years.
• Boosts ISRO’s capacity for heavier-class launches and complex mission configurations.

Historical Context:

• Existing launch pads have been operational for nearly two decades, highlighting the need for upgraded infrastructure.

Economic and Technological Impact:

• Strengthens India’s position in the global space industry by enabling more frequent and advanced launches.
• Promotes technological innovation and indigenous capabilities in space infrastructure development.

Tamil Nadu’s ‘drone didis’ spray acres of farmlands in a jiffy

Introduction to ‘Drone Didis’:

• Tamil Nadu’s first batch of women drone operators under the Namo Drone Didi scheme is operational.
  • The initiative empowers rural women, making them part of the farming supply chain.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance ,Schemes)

• Pilot Stories:
  • Nandhini Sugumar (27):
    • Postgraduate in Mathematics.
    • Now a trained drone operator, assisting farmers in spraying fertilizers and pesticides.
    • Covers an acre of farmland in 7 minutes for ₹400 per acre.
    • Operates in Devapandalam and surrounding areas where most farmers own 1-4 acres.

Training and Resources

• Conducted by Garuda Aerospace Private Ltd. in Chennai:
  • 5-day hands-on training on drone operation and maintenance.
  • Remote Pilot Training Classes.

• Participants receive a drone worth ₹7 lakh for free:
  • Equipped with two tanks and a battery set.
  • Weighs ~30 kg when loaded.

Advantages

Efficient Operations:

• Reduces time for agricultural tasks:
  • 1 acre in 7 minutes compared to manual methods.
  • Simplifies spraying of fertilizers, pesticides, and water.

Economic Opportunity:

• Provides an alternate income for rural women.
  • Charges are affordable for small-scale farmers (₹400/acre).

Skill Development:

• Introduces rural women to advanced technology.
  • Promotes entrepreneurship in agriculture.

Challenges

Battery Limitations:

• Frequent recharging needed after every acre.

Logistics Issues:

• Drones, weighing ~30 kg when loaded, are difficult to transport.
  • Requires assistance to carry.

Adoption Hurdles:

• Awareness and trust-building among farmers are still ongoing.

Impact on Agriculture

• Accelerates farming processes in regions with small landholdings.
• Reduces manual labor dependency.
• Enhances productivity by ensuring uniform spraying of inputs.

Policy Implications

• Highlights the need for:
  • Subsidized access to drone-compatible batteries and lightweight models.
  • Infrastructure for easier transportation in rural areas.
• Aligns with the government’s focus on technological inclusion and women’s empowerment in rural areas.

Conclusion

The ‘Drone Didis’ initiative exemplifies a successful blend of technology, women’s empowerment, and sustainable farming practices. While challenges like logistics and battery life persist, the program has the potential to transform rural economies and agricultural productivity.

Singapore to help India’s semiconductor industry

Introduction :India’s Focus on Semiconductors:

• Singapore and India are collaborating to establish a semiconductor ecosystem in India.
  • Emphasis on advanced manufacturing and the development of technological solutions in the semiconductor domain.

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations)

• Significance of the Visit:
  • Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam is visiting India to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations.
  • The visit includes bilateral discussions and the launch of a commemorative logo with India’s President Droupadi Murmu.

Strategic Cooperation Areas

Semiconductor Industry:

• Joint efforts to manufacture semiconductor chips in India.
  • Building a robust ecosystem to support semiconductor production and innovation.

Digital Space:

• Exploring the creation of a data corridor between GIFT City in Gujarat and Singapore:
  • Enables secure and trusted exchange of financial data.

Renewable Energy:

• Collaboration to boost renewable energy initiatives.
  • Focus on leveraging India’s ambition for eastern states like Odisha and Assam.

Infrastructure Development:

• Strengthening logistics, connectivity, and petrochemical industries in India’s eastern states.

Comprehensive Strategic Partnership:

• Relations upgraded to a strategic partnership during PM Modi’s 2022 Singapore visit.

Economic Ties

• Singapore has been India’s largest foreign investor for several years.
• Bilateral trade and investments are thriving across multiple sectors, including manufacturing, logistics, and technology.

Observations

Eastern States in Focus:

• Odisha and Assam highlighted for their natural resource availability and development potential.
  • Singapore’s investment could boost infrastructure and employment in these regions.

Semiconductor Ecosystem:

• Critical step for India to reduce reliance on semiconductor imports.
  • Aligns with India’s push for self-reliance in electronics manufacturing under schemes like PLI (Production Linked Incentive).

Challenges

Building Ecosystem:

• Requires significant investment in research, skilled workforce, and infrastructure.

Global Competition:

• India and Singapore need to compete with established semiconductor hubs like Taiwan, South Korea, and the US.

Data Security:

• Ensuring secure and trusted frameworks for the proposed data corridor is crucial.

Geopolitical Significance

• Strengthens India-Singapore ties amidst growing regional and global technological competition.
• Enhances India’s role in the global semiconductor supply chain, reducing dependency on traditional hubs.

Conclusion

The India-Singapore collaboration on semiconductors and digital infrastructure is a strategic step forward in boosting technological innovation and economic growth. While challenges persist in building a semiconductor ecosystem, the partnership reflects shared ambitions for a sustainable and advanced future.

Long overdue, short-term regimen for TB set to be a game changer

Introduction:

• Introduction of the BPaL regimen (bedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid), with potential to revolutionize treatment:
  • Duration reduced to six months.
  • All-oral treatment with fewer pills and reduced toxicity.

• Clinical trials (Nix-TB and ZeNix) have demonstrated efficacy and better tolerance with adjusted linezolid dosage.

Relevance : GS 2(Health )

Challenges in Current TB Treatments:

• Drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB):Resistance to rifampicin and isoniazid poses high mortality risks (30-40%).Prolonged regimens (18+ months) with significant side effects led to poor adherence.

• Toxic side effects from previous treatments:Pain, hearing loss, depression, and social stigma exacerbated patient suffering.

• Systematic neglect of patient demands for shorter, less toxic treatments.

Advantages of the BPaL Regimen

• Reduced Treatment Duration: Improves adherence and decreases economic burden.
• Low Pill Burden: Encourages better patient compliance.
• Enhanced Tolerance: Lower toxicity compared to previous regimens.

Caveats to Consider

Adherence Monitoring:

• Resistance to bedaquiline has been reported in patients failing treatment.
  • Phone-based and digital adherence tools must be integrated.

Drug-Susceptibility Testing (DST):

• Essential for ensuring regimen suitability.
  • Early universal molecular diagnostics are necessary to detect resistant strains.

Adverse Effects:

• Linezolid-associated sensory neuropathy requires vigilance.
  • Alternative regimens must be defined for intolerant patients.

Health System Preparedness

Training of Physicians:

• Comprehensive training for management of MDR-TB cases and side effects.

Public-Private Partnerships (PPP):

• Crucial for ensuring universal access, particularly for patients accessing private healthcare.

Cost Implications:

• Shorter regimens are expensive but offer long-term benefits by reducing patient suffering and improving outcomes.

Structural Barriers in TB Management

Stigma and Economic Burden:

• TB patients face societal and workplace discrimination.
  • Nutritional and economic support is vital to address inequalities.

Social Determinants of Health:

• TB prevalence is influenced by poverty, overcrowding, and poor nutrition.
  • Addressing root causes is critical to long-term eradication efforts.

Way Forward

Person-Centred Care:

• Focus on engagement, counselling, and support for patients and their families.

Community Education:

• Awareness programs to improve treatment adherence and reduce stigma.

Systemic Transformation:

• Beyond new regimens, a holistic approach addressing socio-economic determinants is essential.

Costly HPV Vaccine Needs To Be Part of National Immunisation Programme

Overview

• Cervical cancer, caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), is among the leading causes of cancer in Indian women.
• HPV is responsible for 99.7% of cervical cancers globally.
• The HPV vaccine is highly effective, preventing over 90% of HPV-related cancers.

Relevance : GS 2(Health , Governance)

Current Situation in India

• The HPV vaccine is available only via private practitioners, though NTAGI has recommended its inclusion in the national immunisation programme.
• Some states, such as Punjab and Sikkim, have incorporated the vaccine into their immunisation schedules.
• Recommended: Routine vaccination for girls at 9 years and a catch-up for those aged 9–14.

Benefits of the HPV Vaccine

• Prevents cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal, penile, and throat cancers caused by HPV.
• Effective for both genders, offering protection against genital warts and HPV-related cancers.
• Safe for immunocompromised individuals, including those with HIV.
• Vaccines approved in India:
  • Gardasil: Quadrivalent (HPV-6, 11, 16, 18)
  • Cervarix: Bivalent
  • Cervavac: India-made, targets HPV-16 and 18.

Statistics on Cervical Cancer in India

• 3rd most common cancer among women.
• Accounts for 18.3% of all cancer cases and 9.1% of cancer deaths in women (GLOBOCAN 2020).
• High prevalence in areas like Arunachal Pradesh (Papumpare district).

Challenges

• Cost:
  • Gardasil 9: ₹10,850/dose.
  • Gardasil 4: ₹2,000–₹4,000/dose.
  • Cervavac: ₹2,000/dose.
• Awareness: Limited understanding of its importance.
• Cultural Factors: Stigma around reproductive health impacts acceptance.

Recommendations

• Universal inclusion of the HPV vaccine in the national immunisation programme.
• Promote awareness campaigns to address cultural and knowledge gaps.
• Encourage vaccination for all genders to broaden HPV prevention.
• Focus on vaccinating individuals before exposure (ideally 9–26 years).

Call to Action

The inclusion of the HPV vaccine in India’s immunisation programme would be a significant step toward reducing the cervical cancer burden. However, affordability, awareness, and systemic challenges must be addressed to achieve this goal.

The Impacts of Rupee Weakening

Nature of the Devaluation:

• The Indian rupee experienced sharp devaluation, marking a departure from the relative stability maintained over the past two years.
  • Driven by increased capital outflows, rising import costs, and higher crude oil prices.

Relevance : GS 3(Economy )

Exchange Rate Policies:

• India predominantly follows a managed-floating exchange rate regime.
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has balanced devaluation with adjustments to foreign exchange reserves, especially during periods of excess demand for foreign currency.
  • Post-COVID, the RBI temporarily adopted a strategy akin to a fixed exchange rate regime but reverted to a managed-float approach recently.

Implications of Depreciation:

• Positive Impact: Can boost net exports if domestic goods become cheaper relative to foreign goods, provided domestic inflation remains controlled.
  • Negative Impact: Higher import costs can increase the variable costs of firms, leading to inflation, squeezing real incomes, and diminishing purchasing power.

Structural Challenges:

• Divergence between nominal effective exchange rate (NEER) and real effective exchange rate (REER) since the mid-2010s.
  • Despite rupee devaluation, rising domestic prices have appreciated the real exchange rate, eroding export competitiveness.
  • Increased markups by non-financial firms have contributed to domestic inflation.

Policy Dilemmas:

• The RBI’s inconsistent policy responses, including frequent shifts without transparent communication, have raised questions about India’s exchange rate strategy.
  • The devaluation highlights the need for a robust framework to address both short-term adjustments and long-term objectives like export competitiveness and inflation control.

Reflection:

The Indian economy faces a dual challenge: managing inflationary pressures due to rupee depreciation while ensuring that real exchange rate movements do not hinder export recovery. A well-communicated and adaptive exchange rate policy will be crucial to navigating these economic complexities.

2024 Was Not Just Hottest But Also The Moistest Year, Inducing Global Catastrophes

Context : Record-Breaking Temperatures and Humidity

• 2024 recorded a temperature anomaly of 1.55°C above the pre-industrial average (1850–1900), surpassing the 1.5°C threshold outlined in the Paris Agreement.
  • Water vapour in the atmosphere was 4.9% above the 1991–2020 average, marking the highest in at least 33 years.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment)

Global Warming Feedback Loops:

• Warmer temperatures drive higher surface evaporation and enable the atmosphere to retain more water vapour, intensifying a feedback loop of warming and moisture accumulation.
  • Water vapour, being a potent greenhouse gas, amplifies global warming, setting the stage for extreme precipitation and weather events.

Extreme Weather Events in 2024:

• Catastrophic floods occurred across Sudan, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Chad, and Spain.
  • The United States faced the devastation of Hurricane Helene.
  • Increased atmospheric moisture directly influenced these events, as noted by the World Weather Attribution consortium.

Oceanic Heat and Moisture:

• Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in 2024 were 0.61°C above the 1981–2020 baseline, breaking records despite a shift to neutral El Niño conditions.
  • High SSTs contributed to record ocean heat content, fueling more atmospheric moisture and intensifying extreme events.

Geographical Anomalies:

• Regions like India, northeastern North America, Sahara Desert, Russia, and China recorded unprecedented ‘Total Column Water Vapour’ levels.

Scientific Consensus:

• The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirm the role of greenhouse gases in amplifying atmospheric moisture and warming.
  • While single-year anomalies like 2024 don’t signify an immediate failure of climate goals, they highlight the urgent need for mitigation.

Future Risks:

• Accelerated feedback loops involving warming, water vapour, SSTs, and ocean heat content pose a threat of more frequent and severe extreme weather events, glacial melting, and sea-level rise.
  • Enhanced understanding and global policy responses are crucial to address these escalating impacts.

Reflection:

The year 2024 serves as a stark reminder of the intensifying effects of climate change, emphasizing the critical need for both mitigation and adaptation strategies. With each fraction of a degree of warming, the urgency for robust global action becomes increasingly clear.