1. Indus water treaty
- Context: India will hold the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan “in abeyance with immediate effect: Foreign Secretary
Other Key decisions taken by Cabinet Committee on Security(CCS):
- The closure of the Integrated Check Post in Attari with “immediate effect”.
- Pakistan nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES).
- Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled.
- Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India.
- The defence, Navy, and Air advisers in the Pakistani High Commission here as persona non grata(PNG).
- They have a week to leave India.
- India will be withdrawing its own defence, Navy, Air advisers from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
- These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled.
- Five support staff of the Service Advisers will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions.
- The strength of both missions – Indian mission in Islamabad and the Pakistani mission in New Delhi “will be brought down to 30 from the present 55.
Indus Waters Treaty;
Prelims special:
Q. With reference to the Indus river system, of the following four rivers, three of them pour into one of them which joins the Indus directly. Among the following, which one is such a river that joins the Indus directly? (UPSC 2021)
- Chenab
- Jhelum
- Ravi
- Sutlej
Ans: (d)
2. Heatwaves
Heatwaves:
- They are prolonged periods of excessively hot weather that can cause adverse impacts on human health, the environment, and the economy.
- India, being a tropical country, is particularly vulnerable to heatwaves, which have become more frequent and intense in recent years.
Criteria for Declaring Heat Wave in India:
- Plains and Hilly Regions:
- Heat wave is considered if the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C or more for Plains and at least 30°C or more for Hilly regions.
- Based on Departure from Normal Heat Wave: Departure from normal is 4.50°C to 6.40°C.
- Severe Heat Wave: Departure from normal is >6.40°C.
- Based on Actual Maximum Temperature Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥45°C.
- Severe Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥47°C.
- If the above criteria are met in at least 2 stations in a Meteorological subdivision for at least two consecutive days, it is declared so on the second day.
- Coastal Areas:
- When the maximum temperature departure is 4.50°C or more from normal, a heat wave may be described provided the actual maximum temperature is 37°C or more.
Prelims special:
Q. What are the possible limitations of India in mitigating global warming at present and in the immediate future? (UPSC 2010)
- Appropriate alternate technologies are not sufficiently available.
- India cannot invest huge funds in research and development.
- Many developed countries have already set up their polluting industries in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (a)
3. Dark matter
- Context: Astronomers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have found the reason for the strange deficiency of dark matter in the distant galaxy NGC 1052-DF2.
What is Dark Matter?
- Dark matter is made up of particles that do not have a charge.
- So, these particles are “dark”, namely because they do not emit light, which is an electromagnetic phenomenon, and “matter” because they possess mass like normal matter and interact through gravity.
- The visible universe we see is the result of various interactions among the four Fundamental forces acting upon the particles, namely-
- Strong nuclear force
- Weak nuclear force
- Electromagnetic force
- Gravitation
- Only 5% of the entire visible universe is made up of all matter and the rest of 95% is dark matter and dark energy.
What is Dark Energy?
- Dark Energy is a theorized type of energy that exerts a negative, repulsive force, acting in the opposite direction of gravity.
- It has been proposed to explain the observed features of distant types of supernovae, which reveal the universe expanding at an accelerated rate.
- Dark Energy, like Dark Matter, is inferred from measurements of gravitational interactions between celestial objects rather than explicitly observed.
What is the difference between Dark Matter and Dark Energy?
- Dark matter acts as an attractive force, a kind of cosmic mortar that holds our world together.
- Dark energy is by far the most powerful of the two, accounting for around 68% of the universe’s total mass and energy.
- Dark matter accounts for 27% of the total. The rest, a meagre 5%, is all the ordinary matter we see and interact with on a daily basis.
- This also helps in speeding up the universe’s expansion.
Prelims special:
Q. In the context of modern scientific research, consider the following statements about ‘IceCube’, a particle detector located at South Pole, which was recently in the news: (UPSC 2015)
- It is the world’s largest neutrino detector, encompassing a cubic kilometre of ice.
- It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter.
- It is buried deep in the ice.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (d)
4. Dhruv helicopters
- Context: Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) following a crash in January, resumed flying in the Anantnag area in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv:
- It is a multi-role and multi-mission light utility helicopter in the 5.5-ton weight class, intended for both military and civil operators.
- Developed: indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
- They are operated by all three Indian defense forces, including the Army, Navy, and Air Force, along with the Indian Coast Guard.
- Major variants of Dhruv:
- Dhruv Mk-I, Mk-II, Mk-III & Mk-IV.
- Exported countries: Bolivia, Myanmar, Israel, Maldives, and Nepal.
- Mk-IV version of the HAL ALG Dhruv helicopter: It is the Armed variant for Attack, Close Air Support, and High altitude operations.
Features of Dhruv Mk-IV(ALH Rudra)
- It can carry a 20 mm Turret Gun, 70 mm Rocket, and Air to Air missiles.
- It has a twin-engine configuration allowing continued flight virtually throughout the flight envelope.
- It has a maximum take-off weight of 5800 kg and a range of 590 km.
- ALH Mk-IV has a rigid rotor design making it aggressively maneuverable in the air.
- It has a dedicated Electronic Warfare suite for self-protection.
- Its countermeasures suite can include radar and missile detectors, infrared jammers, chaff, and flare dispensers.
Prelims special:
Q. Consider the following statements :(UPSC 2023)
- Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while cruise missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of flight.
- Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (d)
5. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
- Context: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) had acquired a 10% equity stake in 24×7 Moneyworks Consulting Pvt. Ltd., an agri-fintech venture, for an unspecified amount.
Prelims special:
Q. In India, which of the following can trade in Corporate Bonds and Government Securities?(UPSC 2024)
- Insurance Companies
- Pension Funds
- Retail Investors
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (d)