DRDO Test-Fires India’s First Long-Range Hypersonic Missile
India successfully tested a hypersonic missile with a range of over 1,500 km, making it among the first nations to develop this technology, along with the US, Russia, and China.
Hypersonic weapons, when flying at over Mach 5, boast extreme maneuverability, which makes them difficult to intercept.
Scramjet propulsion and aerodynamic stability at hypersonic speeds have also been established.
Other important products are BrahMos, Agni series, and Nag missiles for the Indian defense arsenal.
Global Methane Emissions Report Highlights Major Concerns
Methane emissions account for one-third of global warming; 60 per cent of these emissions result from human activities such as agricultural and fossil fuel consumption.
Emissions from the oil and gas sector are high, though abatement measures are not expensive for industries such as steel.
UNEP’s MARS, or Methane Alert and Response System, has elicited very weak responses-the alerts have been acted upon globally at a mere 1%.
India has Gobar-Dhan Scheme and NICRA project to reduce methane emissions.
ICRIER Recommends Overhauling India’s Public Distribution System (PDS)
28% of the grains under PDS do not reach the intended beneficiaries, with an estimated financial loss of ₹69,108 crores.
Reforms such as Aadhaar linking and PoS installation improved distribution but failed to remove the leakages in the northeastern states.
Recommendations include reducing PDS coverage, introducing Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT), and transforming Fair Price Shops (FPS) into nutrition hubs.
India has upgraded from Targeted PDS (1997) to the National Food Security Act (2013).
BSNL Launches India’s First Direct-to-Device Satellite Connectivity
BSNL launches India’s first D2D connectivity.
Direct-to-Device technology enables direct satellite-to-device communication, thus guaranteeing internet access in remote areas.
Some highlights include reliable connectivity support for UPI transactions and emergency calls in deprivation regions.
The widespread application is challenging in terms of latency, spectrum allocation, and compatibility issues of devices.
Global companies in this space include SpaceX-Starlink and AST SpaceMobile.
India Successfully Conducts Trilateral Power Trade in South Asia
Nepal exported 40 MW power to Bangladesh through India’s grid, which demonstrates energy cooperation in South Asia.
This transaction involved NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, Nepal Electricity Authority, and Bangladesh Power Development Board.
Regional energy security and mutual economic benefits are strengthened because of infrastructure sharing.
Aligns with India’s vision to become a regional energy hub.
Quantum Computing in India: Advances in Mechanical Qubits
Mechanical qubits endure longer lifespans and have lower quantum error rates than electromagnetic virtual qubits do.
India’s initiatives such as the National Quantum Mission (2023) and Quantum Computer Simulator named QSim strengthen India’s position on quantum technologies.
Applications range from high-power computation to quantum encryption, an essential component of cybersecurity.
This is in line with India’s aim to become a global quantum leader.
UNEP Highlights Role of Microplastics in Climate Change
Microplastics serve as ice nucleating particles, causing the modification of cloud properties and altering the tendencies of precipitation.
Their presence changes the intensity of rain, leading to global warming through increased ratios of liquid to ice within clouds.
India’s efforts include Plastic Waste Management Rules (2016) and KVIC’s Project REPLAN for minimizing plastic waste.
Frameworks at a global level, such as the UN Environment Assembly resolution, target the complete eradication of plastic pollution.
RBI Guidelines to Counter Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing
RBI Internal Risk Assessment Guidance emphasizes data-driven approaches toward ML and TF.
Estimates from the UN say that global ML accounts for 2-5% of GDP, $800 billion-$2 trillion annually.
India’s PMLA (2002) and FIU-IND play crucial roles in detecting and preventing financial crimes.
Initiatives align with global frameworks like FATF’s AML/CFT standards.
Key Terms and Concepts
Hypersonic Missiles – Advanced weapons traveling at speeds above Mach 5, combining speed and maneuverability for enhanced deterrence.
Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) – UNEP’s system to identify and mitigate methane emissions globally.
D2D (Direct-to-Device) Satellite Technology – Technology that enables direct communication between satellites and devices with no traditional cell towers.
Quantum Superposition – A quantum mechanical principle by which qubits exist as both 0 and 1 at the same time.
PMLA, 2002 – India’s primary legislation against money laundering and financial crimes.
