Current Affairs 30 April 2025

Content:

1. Expanding Tree Cover is Crucial
2. High temperatures and mango production
3. Ax-4 mission: Indian astronaut Shukla to fly to ISS on May 29
4. Insufficient support for deep tech start-ups in India: study
5. Changes in monsoon affect marine productivity in Bay of Bengal: study
6. U.S. puts India back on IPR watch list
7. New Model Finds Locusts Making Complex Decisions in Deadly Swarms

Expanding tree cover is crucial

Introduction :Expanding tree cover in India is crucial for mitigating climate change, supporting industrial growth, and enhancing rural livelihoods through afforestation and carbon sequestration efforts.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology)

Climate Change Mitigation:

• Tree plantations and carbon sequestration essential for reducing atmospheric CO₂.
• Expanding tree cover crucial for India’s climate strategy amidst industrial growth.

India’s Current Forest Cover:

• Forest and tree cover in India at 25.17%, falling short of the 33% target from the 1988 National Forest Policy.
• Deforestation, urbanisation, and industrial emissions continue to degrade ecosystems.

Afforestation Efforts:

• Tree plantations act as carbon sinks, improving soil health, groundwater recharge, erosion control, and climate resilience.
• Large-scale afforestation needed to enhance carbon sequestration potential.

Government Initiatives:

• National Agroforestry Policy (2014) and Trees Outside Forests Program promote private sector involvement.
• Green India Mission (GIM) has helped increase forest cover by 0.56% from 2017-2021.

Corporate Role:

• Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives contribute to large-scale tree plantations.
• Industries integrate afforestation with carbon offset strategies, earning carbon credits to meet emissions reduction targets.

Global Market Pressure:

• Stricter global regulations, like the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, force industries to reduce carbon footprints.
• Indian companies must invest in carbon-offset projects, including tree plantations, to remain competitive.

Economic and Social Benefits:

• Afforestation creates millions of jobs, especially in rural areas through agroforestry and forest conservation.
• Agroforestry increases farm incomes by 20-30% through improved soil fertility and additional income from timber and crops.

Government Support:

• Financial incentives, training, and market linkages provided to support community-led afforestation.
• Empowerment of rural communities through ownership of afforestation projects.

Challenges and Policy Recommendations:

• Rising costs of carbon credits push businesses to prefer afforestation for cost-effectiveness.
• Need for a robust carbon trading policy in India to tap into global carbon markets.
• Recommendations include establishing a national carbon credit registry and providing financial incentives for private-sector investment.

Long-Term Vision:

• Tree plantations and carbon sequestration are critical to India’s net-zero emissions goal by 2070.
• Inaction poses significant risks to environmental sustainability and economic growth.

High temperatures and mango production

Context:
India is the world’s largest producer of mangoes, known for its rich genetic diversity and vast cultivation across tropical and subtropical regions. Despite rising temperatures, India’s mango productivity has remained resilient due to adaptive traits and large-scale cultivation efforts. The country produces iconic varieties like Alphonso, Dasheri, Kesar, and Banganapalli, and maintains a strong export presence.

Relevance : GS 3(Agriculture ,Environment and Ecology)

High Temperatures and Mango Production

• Record Heat: 2024 was India’s warmest year since 1901, with +0.65°C above average temperatures (IMD, 2024).
• Anecdotal Concerns: Farmers report early flowering, reduced sweetness, lower yield, and shorter pickle shelf-life—pointing to climate stress.
• Productivity Trend: Despite heat concerns, mango productivity remains strong—9.4 MT/ha (2024-25) vs average 7.9 MT/ha over 25 years.
• Global Comparison: India outperforms China (8.74 MT/ha) and Thailand (8.36 MT/ha) in mango productivity.
• States leading in production: Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Gujarat.
• Cultivation Expansion: Area under mango cultivation rose by 2.34% in 2023–24, reaching 24.01 lakh hectares.
• Heatwave Effects on Trees: Higher temperatures can cause fruit drop, early maturity, sun scalding, and spongy tissue (esp. in Alphonso).
• Climate Sensitivity: Mango plants require stable pollination conditions—extreme rain, hail, or wind during budding/flowering disrupt yields.
• Role of Genetic Diversity: Mango’s genetic variability enhances resilience, supporting adaptation to drought and heat.
• Physiological Adaptability: Mango trees exhibit built-in mechanisms to adjust to environmental stress—key for future climate resilience.
• Breeding Potential: Rich genetic diversity enables modern breeding interventions to improve climate tolerance and productivity.
• Conclusion: While climate change poses risks, India’s mango sector remains robust due to increased acreage, adaptive traits, and genetic diversity.

Ax-4 mission: Indian astronaut Shukla to fly to ISS on May 29

Context : Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to make history as the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS). He will serve as the pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), scheduled to launch on May 29, 2025, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The mission, operated by Axiom Space in collaboration with SpaceX and NASA, will utilize the new Crew Dragon C213 spacecraft and is expected to last up to 14 days in low Earth orbit.

Relevance : GS 3(Space ,Science and Technology)

Mission Highlights

• Crew Composition: Shukla will be joined by Commander Peggy Whitson (USA), Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański (Poland/ESA), and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu (Hungary).

• Scientific Objectives: The crew will conduct approximately 60 scientific studies, including seven experiments from India focusing on:
  • Microalgae growth
  • Cyanobacteria behavior
  • Muscle loss in microgravity
  • Cognitive effects of screen use
  • Salad seed cultivation
  • Water bear (tardigrade) resilience
  • Microbial adaptation

• Significance for India: This mission marks India’s return to human spaceflight after more than four decades, following Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft. It also serves as a precursor to ISRO’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission, for which Shukla is one of the designated astronauts.

• International Collaboration: Ax-4 exemplifies global cooperation in space exploration, with astronauts from India, the USA, Poland, and Hungary participating. The mission aims to advance scientific research and foster international partnerships in space endeavors.

Conclusion : Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s participation in Ax-4 not only represents a significant achievement for India’s space program but also contributes to the broader goals of international collaboration and scientific advancement in human spaceflight.

Insufficient support for deep tech start-ups in India: study

Introduction

• Deep tech start-ups—working in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing—are vital for India’s ambition to become a global innovation hub.
• However, a recent study highlights significant gaps in institutional support from public-funded research and development (R&D) organisations, impeding deep tech incubation and scaling.

Relevance : GS 3(Indian Economy)

Key Findings of the Study

Source: A study commissioned by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India and conducted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Centre for Technology, Innovation, and Economic Research (CTIER).

• Limited Support to Start-ups:
  • Only 25% of public-funded R&D organisations offer incubation support to start-ups.
  • A mere 16% support deep tech start-ups (advanced technologies like AI, quantum tech, etc.).

• Low Industry Collaboration:
  • Only 15% of the organisations collaborated with overseas industries.

• Restricted Access to Infrastructure:
  • Only 50% of labs opened their facilities to external researchers or students.

• Expenditure on R&D:
  • 25% of institutions reported spending 75%-100% of their budget on R&D.
  • Median spending on R&D was relatively low in ICAR, CSIR, ICMR, AYUSH, and DST labs.

• Strategic Sectors Excluded:
  • Defence, Space, and Atomic Energy labs (major contributors to India’s R&D spend) were excluded due to sensitivity.

• Government Spending Overview:
  • Total Union govt. R&D expenditure in 2020-21: ₹55,685 crore.
  • Excluding strategic sectors: ₹24,587 crore by key scientific agencies.

Human Resource Trends

• Staffing Patterns:
  • Many labs reported a decline in permanent staff and growing dependence on contractual workers.
• Youth Participation:
  • Share of young researchers rose to 58% in 2022-23 from 54% in 2021-22.
• Gender and Mission Contributions:
  • Labs were asked to report on women scientists and their roles in national missions (e.g., Deep Ocean Mission, National Quantum Mission).

Institutional Behaviour and Orientation

• Shift observed from being pure research centres to innovation hubs, blending academia and product innovation.
• Dr. Ajay Sood emphasized need for data-driven institutional introspection to identify gaps and realign mandates.

Recommendations

• All labs should be mandated to review their existing mandates for better alignment with current innovation needs.

Changes in monsoon affect marine productivity in Bay of Bengal: study

Introduction

• Source: Study published in Nature Geoscience, led by scientists from India, China, Europe, and the U.S., including researchers from the University of Texas at Austin and Rutgers University.
• The Indian Summer Monsoon significantly influences marine productivity in the Bay of Bengal (BoB).
• The study reconstructs 22,000 years of monsoon variability and its link with plankton growth, a key indicator of marine ecosystem health.
• BoB, despite covering <1% of global ocean area, contributes nearly 8% to global fishery production.

Relevance : GS3 (Environment ,Food Security and Climate Change)

Key Findings of the Study

• Marine Productivity Fluctuates with Monsoon Intensity:
  • Both strong and weak monsoon events disrupt vertical ocean mixing.
  • Result: Up to 50% reduction in plankton food availability in surface waters.

• Mechanism of Disruption:
  • Monsoon extremes hamper nutrient upwelling from deeper ocean layers.
  • This affects phytoplankton, which forms the base of the marine food web.

• Historical Climate Evidence:
  • Marine sediments were chemically analysed to reconstruct past ocean temperatures, monsoon strength, and biological productivity.
• Climate Models and Modern Parallels:
  • Present-day observations show alarming similarities with past extreme disruptions.
  • Suggests human-induced climate change could destabilise BoB’s marine ecosystem in the coming decades.

Socio-Economic & Ecological Implications

• Food Security Threat:
  • Millions living along BoB coasts depend on fisheries for protein and livelihood.
  • Productivity decline could severely impact coastal economies and nutrition security.

• High Output, High Vulnerability:
  • BoB’s disproportionate share in global fisheries makes it uniquely productive yet fragile.

U.S. puts India back on IPR watch list

Introduction

• India has been re-added to the U.S. ‘Priority Watch List’ for inadequate IP protection and enforcement.
• The Special 301 Report assesses global IPR protection impacting U.S. trade interests.

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations),GS 3(Indian Economy)

Key Concerns Highlighted by USTR

• Inconsistency in IP Enforcement:
  • Despite some progress, India’s overall enforcement of IPR is termed inadequate.
• Patent-Related Issues:
  • Persistent complaints about ambiguity in the Indian Patents Act.
  • Stakeholders are concerned about vague interpretations and delayed approvals.
• Weak Trade Secret Protection:
  • Limited legal mechanisms to safeguard trade secrets in India.
• High Customs Dutieson IP-intensive goods:
  • Affects products like ICT goods, solar equipment, medical devices, pharma, and capital goods.
• Piracy & Unauthorised Use:
  • Ongoing issues with:
    • Video game piracy
    • Signal theft by cable operators
    • Commercial photocopying of academic content
    • Unauthorised reprints
    • Technological protection circumvention

Other Countries on the List

• Alongside India: China, Indonesia, Russia, Argentina, Venezuela
• On regular watch list: 25 countries, including Pakistan and Turkey

Economic and Strategic Implications

• Could impact foreign investment and trade relations, especially in sectors reliant on IP like pharma and tech.
• May influence ongoing tariff and non-tariff negotiations with the U.S.

New model finds locusts making complex decisions in deadly swarms

Background: Locust Swarms

• Locusts are a type of grasshopper that undergo “gregarisation” — transitioning from solitary to swarm behaviour under specific environmental triggers.
• Swarms can travel vast distances and cause large-scale agricultural devastation.
• The 2019–2022 outbreak severely affected East Africa, the Middle East, and India — destroying over 2 lakh hectares of crops.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology)

Shift in Scientific Understanding

• Old model: Locusts were modeled like self-propelled particles, similar to gas molecules, aligning with nearest neighbors.
• New model: Proposes that locusts make cognitive decisions based on visual perception of motion, not just physical alignment

 Key Findings of the New Study

• Conducted by researchers from Max Planck Institute and University of Konstanz.
• Field observations in Kenya revealed:
  • Locusts do not align simply with neighbors.
  • Vision, not touch or smell, plays the dominant role in swarm movement.
• Use of holographic virtual reality showed:
  • Even in sparse swarms, motion coherence (not crowd density) drives alignment.
  • Locusts are capable of integrating multiple visual inputs to decide direction.

New Model: Neural Ring Attractor Network

• Adopts a neuroscience-based model over physics-based ones.
• Locusts are seen as decision-making agents, not random particles.
• Swarm motion is an emergent phenomenon — large-scale coordination arises from individual decisions without central control.

Climate Change Link

• Unusual rainfall and cyclones in desert regions (e.g., Mekunu and Luban in 2018) enhanced breeding conditions.
• Climate variability, especially stronger monsoons, made swarms larger and more unpredictable.
• 2019–2022 outbreak was among the worst in decades, showing the urgency of updated models.

Implications and Next Steps

• Old models failed to predict swarm behavior accurately.
• Understanding initial direction selection and decision maintenance is the next frontier.
• Future research needs to be multidisciplinary — involving climate scientists and ecologists.
• Improved predictive models are essential to manage future outbreaks in a warming world.