💥Mains Ready By December. Smash Mains & Smash PYQ Admissions Open
Talk to Mentor

Civilsdaily

Login

GS Paper: GS3-17.Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.

  • Candida auris

    Why in the News?

    An Indian led study has warned that Candida auris, a drug resistant fungal pathogen, is becoming more virulent and spreading globally, with high mortality rates even after treatment, raising serious public health concerns.

    About Candida auris

    • Candida auris is a multidrug resistant fungal pathogen.
    • It causes severe invasive infections, particularly in hospitalised and immunocompromised patients.
    • First identified in 2009.
    • Classified as an emerging global health threat due to frequent treatment failure and high fatality.

    Transmission

    • Spreads through direct contact with infected or colonised individuals, including asymptomatic carriers.
    • Transmitted via Contaminated surfaces, Medical equipment and Invasive devices like catheters and ventilators

    Prelims Pointers

    • Candida auris is a fungus, not a bacterium or virus
    • Primarily a hospital acquired infection
    • Difficult to detect due to sepsis like symptoms
    • Major concern due to antifungal resistance and high mortality
    [2019] Which of the following are the reasons for the occurrence of multi-drug resistance in microbial pathogens in India? 

    1. Genetic predisposition of some people 

    2. Taking incorrect doses of antibiotics to cure diseases 

    3. Using antibiotics in livestock farming 

    4. Multiple chronic diseases in some people 

    Select the correct answer using the code given below: 

    (a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 2, 3 and 4

  • Copper

    Why in the News?

    Copper prices touched a record high of over USD 12,000 per tonne in 2025, driven by US tariff uncertainty, global supply disruptions and rapidly rising demand from AI infrastructure, clean energy systems and electric vehicles.

    Characteristics of Copper

    Chemical Characteristics

    • Symbol: Cu
    • Atomic weight: 63.546 amu
    • High resistance to corrosion and oxidation
    • Forms important alloys
      • Brass: Copper plus Zinc
      • Bronze: Copper plus Tin

    Physical Characteristics

    • Excellent electrical and thermal conductivity
    • Highly ductile and malleable, suitable for wiring and shaping
    • Reddish brown in colour, among the few naturally coloured metals

    Unique Properties

    • 100 percent recyclable without loss of quality
    • Antimicrobial in nature, useful in healthcare settings
    • Improves energy efficiency and lowers CO₂ emissions over product life cycles

    Applications of Copper

    Energy and Power Sector

    • Power transmission lines and grids
    • Transformers and substations
    • Renewable energy systems like solar and wind
    • Battery energy storage systems

    Electric Vehicles

    • EVs use more than twice the copper of conventional vehicles
    • Used in motors, batteries, inverters and charging infrastructure

    Digital and AI Infrastructure

    • Data centres and hyperscale AI facilities
    • Power transmission and cooling systems

    Construction and Manufacturing

    • Plumbing and roofing
    • Industrial machinery
    • Electronics and electrical appliances

    Defence and Healthcare

    • Defence electronics and ammunition
    • Antimicrobial medical surfaces and equipment

    India and Copper

    • India has recognised copper as a critical mineral under its resource strategy
    • Over 90 percent dependence on imported copper concentrate
    • Domestic demand expected to rise sharply due to EVs, renewable energy and digital infrastructure expansion

    Major Copper Producing Countries

    • Chile, Peru, Democratic Republic of the Congo, China and the United States

    Prelims Pointers

    • Copper is a critical mineral for energy transition and digital economy
    • EVs and AI driven data centres are major demand drivers
    • Copper is fully recyclable and antimicrobial
    • India is heavily import dependent for copper concentrat
    [2021] Why is there a concern about copper smelting plants? 

    1. They may release lethal quantities of carbon monoxide into the environment. 

    2. The copper slag can cause the leaching of some heavy metals into the environment. 

    3. They may release sulphur dioxide as a pollutant. 

    Select the correct answer using the code given below: 

    (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, and 3

  • AI that you can hold in your hand, and that holds your hand

    Introduction

    Artificial Intelligence is undergoing a qualitative transformation, from a background computational tool to an active intermediary between humans and the digital world. The AI’s most significant impact is not automation alone, but the rewiring of the internet itself, including how users search, read, decide, and act. As AI becomes embedded in devices, browsers, and daily routines, it is redefining control over data, attention, and economic value in the digital ecosystem.

    Why in the News

    The year 2025 marks a decisive shift in the evolution of artificial intelligence, where AI began directly mediating how users access knowledge on the internet, rather than merely assisting search or productivity. For the first time, AI-powered browsers, devices, and assistants are challenging Google’s long-standing dominance as the internet’s gateway, particularly in emerging markets. This transition represents a sharp break from the earlier search-engine-centric model, as users increasingly receive direct, conversational answers instead of links, disrupting established advertising-based business models. While promised efficiency gains remain uneven, the scale and speed of adoption signal a structural transformation in how information is produced, accessed, and monetised globally.

    How is AI transforming the way people access the internet?

    1. Direct answer delivery: Enables users to receive summarised responses instead of navigating multiple websites, reducing dependence on traditional search links.
    2. Conversational interfaces: Facilitates follow-up questions and contextual clarification, mimicking human interaction rather than keyword searches.
    3. Behavioural shift: Alters user engagement patterns, weakening click-through-rate-based content discovery.
    4. Structural impact: Reconfigures how knowledge is consumed, prioritising synthesis over exploration.

    Why does this shift challenge Google’s dominance?

    1. Search disintermediation: Reduces the need for users to visit Google-indexed websites for answers.
    2. Advertising disruption: Weakens the ad-based revenue model built on page views and link navigation.
    3. Market vulnerability in developing countries: Creates entry points for AI platforms to act as alternative gateways to the internet.
    4. Competitive uncertainty: Introduces a new model where value lies in response quality rather than ranking authority.

    What role do AI-powered devices play in this transition?

    1. Device-level integration: Embeds AI deeply within smartphones and laptops rather than as standalone applications.
    2. Personal assistant evolution: Transforms AI into a system-level interface managing messages, emails, and summaries.
    3. User retention strategy: Ensures constant interaction by making AI central to everyday tasks.
    4. Platform competition: Encourages operating-system-driven AI ecosystems rather than app-based usage.

    How are AI browsers reshaping the architecture of the internet?

    1. AI-first browsers: Prioritise AI responses over traditional webpage navigation.
    2. Content extraction: Pulls information directly from websites without redirecting users.
    3. Publisher impact: Undermines traffic-dependent digital media and independent content creators.
    4. Information centralisation: Concentrates interpretive power in AI systems rather than distributed sources.

    What new forms of interaction are emerging between humans and technology?

    1. Non-visual interfaces: Expands interaction through voice, audio, and ambient computing.
    2. Background operation: Enables AI to function passively while continuously supporting user decisions.
    3. Contextual memory: Allows AI systems to recall conversations, preferences, and behavioural cues.
    4. Human-like assistance: Reduces cognitive load by suggesting next steps instead of presenting raw information.

    Why is “agent orchestration” significant for the future of AI?

    1. Multi-agent coordination: Enables AI to manage multiple tasks and systems simultaneously.
    2. Decision autonomy: Allows AI to execute complex workflows without continuous human input.
    3. Enterprise efficiency: Enhances productivity in organisations managing large data volumes.
    4. Economic projection: Signals rapid market expansion of autonomous AI services by 2026.

    Conclusion

    Artificial Intelligence is no longer a peripheral tool but a central intermediary shaping how knowledge is accessed, processed, and acted upon. As AI restructures the internet from a link-based to an answer-based ecosystem, it creates efficiency gains alongside new challenges of competition, accountability, and data governance. The policy response must therefore balance innovation with safeguards to ensure transparency, fair competition, and equitable access to information in the digital age.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2023] How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) help clinical diagnosis? Do you perceive any threat to privacy of the individual in the use of AI in healthcare?

    Linkage: The PYQ evaluates AI as a decision-support system and examines privacy risks arising from data-driven interventions. The article links by showing AI’s expansion as an intermediary across sectors, raising similar concerns of data control, accountability, and user trust.

  • Titan

    Why in the News?

    Scientists have re examined data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft and suggested that Saturn’s largest moon Titan may not have a global subsurface ocean, contrary to earlier studies.

    About Titan

    • Titan is the largest moon of Saturn
      • Second largest moon in the solar system, after Ganymede
      • Discovered in 1655 by Christiaan Huygens
      • Nearly 50 percent wider than Earth’s Moon
      • Only moon with a dense atmosphere
      • Atmosphere dominated by nitrogen with methane
      • Only body besides Earth with stable surface liquids
      • Presence of rivers, lakes, and seas
      • Liquids composed of methane and ethane

    Scientific Significance

    • Earlier models suggested a subsurface ocean
    • New findings indicate uncertainty in the existence or thickness of such an ocean
    • Important for understanding Titan’s internal structure
    • Affects assessment of potential habitability
    • Relevant for future planetary exploration missions

    Cassini Spacecraft

    • Cassini spacecraft was a joint mission of NASA, ESA, and ASI
    • Launched in 1997
    • First spacecraft to orbit Saturn
    • Studied Saturn, its rings, and moons
    • Carried the Huygens probe
    • Huygens landed on Titan in 2005
    • Provided first direct surface data from Titan
    Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched? (2014)

    Spacecraft — Purpose: 

    I. Cassini-Huygens: Orbiting the Venus and transmitting data to the Earth. 

    II. Messenger: Mapping and investigating Mercury. 

    III. Voyager 1 and 2: Exploring the outer solar system. 

    Select the correct answer using the code given below: 

    (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 only

  • The upskilling gap: why women risk being left behind by AI

    Introduction

    As India moves toward an AI-intensive economic model, access to time for learning and self-development has become a decisive factor in labour market outcomes. Time Use Survey (2019) data reveals that working women in India spend 10 hours less per week on self-development than men, primarily due to disproportionate unpaid care responsibilities. This time deficit risks excluding women from AI-enabled productivity gains, reinforcing occupational segregation and low-wage employment.

    Why in the News?

    The article highlights a first-order structural risk: while AI adoption accelerates, women’s ability to upskill is constrained by time poverty rather than lack of intent or capability. This marks a departure from earlier debates that focused on access to education or labour participation. The scale of the issue is substantial, women work longer total hours per day than men (9.6 vs 8.6 hours) when paid and unpaid work are combined. Yet, women lose out on rest, leisure, and learning time. This creates a persistent disadvantage in an economy increasingly driven by algorithmic efficiency and skill intensity.

    What does India’s Time Use Data reveal about gendered work patterns?

    1. Combined Workload: Working women spend 9.6 hours/day on paid and unpaid work compared to 8.6 hours/day for men.
    2. Unpaid Care Work: Women undertake nearly double the unpaid work of men, especially in childcare, eldercare, cooking, and cleaning.
    3. Age-Specific Burden: The gender gap peaks in the 30-39 age group, coinciding with prime career years and child-rearing responsibilities.

    Why does unpaid work translate into an upskilling disadvantage?

    1. Time Deficit: Women spend 10 fewer hours per week on self-development activities than men.
    2. Opportunity Cost: Reduced time for skill acquisition limits transition to high-value, AI-complementary roles.
    3. Cumulative Effect: Persistent time poverty compounds across years, reinforcing occupational stagnation.

    How does AI intensify existing labour market inequalities for women?

    1. Algorithmic Bias: AI performance metrics penalise career breaks and irregular work histories.
    2. Occupational Traps: Women are overrepresented in low-paid, automation-prone jobs and unpaid family work.
    3. Invisible Labour: Care work remains uncaptured by productivity metrics, excluding women from AI-led recognition systems.

    Why are women more vulnerable to exclusion from AI-led productivity gains?

    1. Skill Transition Barriers: AI rewards continuous learning, which women lack time to pursue.
    2. Sectoral Segregation: Women’s concentration in informal and care-intensive sectors limits AI exposure.
    3. Labour Force Exit: Over 40% of women outside the labour force cite household responsibilities as the primary reason.

    Why is this a macroeconomic and governance challenge, not just a gender issue?

    1. Productivity Loss: Underutilisation of women’s human capital reduces aggregate growth.
    2. Demographic Dividend Risk: Exclusion of women weakens India’s long-term workforce potential.
    3. Inclusive Growth Failure: AI-led growth without gender equity risks widening income and skill inequalities.

    Policy Implications 

    1. Workplace Redesign
      1. Time Recognition: Integrates unpaid care work into productivity assessments.
      2. Flexibility: Supports hybrid work models aligned with care responsibilities.
    2. Infrastructure Support
      1. Care Services: Expands childcare, eldercare, and safe public transport.
      2. Utilities Access: Reduces time spent on water, fuel, and energy collection.
    3. Skill Policy Reorientation
      1. Time-Saving Learning Models: Encourages modular, flexible, and remote upskilling formats.
      2. Targeted AI Skilling: Prioritises women-centric AI and digital training initiatives.
    4. Budgetary Prioritisation
      1. Gender Budgeting: Aligns public expenditure with time-saving social infrastructure.
      2. Outcome Metrics: Tracks women’s skill mobility and wage progression.

    Conclusion:

    An AI-driven growth strategy that overlooks women’s time poverty and unpaid care work risks deepening structural inequalities and weakening India’s human capital base. Integrating care responsibilities into economic planning, skill policy, and public expenditure is essential to ensure that technological progress translates into inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2023] Distinguish between ‘care economy’ and ‘monetized economy’. How can care economy be brought into monetized economy through women empowerment?

    Linkage: The question addresses structural issues of inclusive growth, gender inequality, and human capital formation, which are recurring themes in GS-III (Economy) and GS-I (Society).

  • [20th December 2025] The Hindu OpED: Significance of a strong defense industrial base

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2021] Analyse the multidimensional challenges posed by external state and non-state actors to the internal security of India. Also discuss measures required to be taken to combat these threats.

    Linkage: This question is relevant to GS III as it examines internal security challenges posed by external state and non-state actors. The article is directly linked as it explains how a strong domestic defence industrial base enhances strategic autonomy and resilience required to effectively counter such threats.

    Why in the News

    India’s defence industrial ecosystem is undergoing a structural transition after decades of import dependence and restrictive policies. Recent reforms, opening the sector to private participation, liberalising foreign direct investment, corporatisation of legacy institutions, and expansion of indigenous procurement, have led to rapid growth in defence production and exports to over 80 countries. This marks a sharp departure from a period characterised by monopoly production, lack of competition, and structural vulnerability. 

    Introduction

    A strong defence industrial base underpins national security, economic resilience, and strategic autonomy. For India, historical policy constraints limited private sector participation and fostered import dependence, weakening both security preparedness and industrial capability. Recent reforms signal a shift towards self-reliance, export orientation, and integration with global supply chains. In an evolving global security landscape, this transition is central to India’s strategic and economic ambitions.

    Structural Constraints in India’s Defence Manufacturing

    1. Restrictive Policy Framework: Limited private participation and absence of competition constrained innovation and efficiency.
    2. Import Dependence: Excessive reliance on foreign suppliers exposed vulnerabilities in times of conflict and supply-chain disruption.
    3. Monopolistic Production Structure: Dominance of state-controlled entities reduced incentives for cost efficiency and technological upgrading.
    4. Strategic Vulnerability: Dependence on external suppliers undermined operational readiness and economic potential.

    Reform-Led Transformation of the Defence Ecosystem

    1. Private Sector Entry: Opening of defence manufacturing to private firms expanded capacity and innovation.
    2. FDI Liberalisation: Relaxed investment norms facilitated technology inflows and global integration.
      1. India permits Foreign Direct Investment up to 74% under the automatic route in defence manufacturing, which facilitates faster capital inflows and technology transfer without prior government approval.
      2. FDI beyond 74% is allowed through the government approval route in cases where it results in access to modern technology or enhances national security interests.
    3. Institutional Restructuring: Corporatisation of legacy production units improved accountability and efficiency.
    4. Indigenous Procurement Expansion: Emphasis on domestic production under the ‘Make’ procedure stimulated innovation.
    5. Export Growth: Defence exports now span more than 80 countries, reflecting ecosystem maturation.

    Global Security Environment and Strategic Opportunity

    1. Geopolitical Instability: Conflicts in Europe, West Asia, and Asia exposed fragility of global supply chains.
    2. Resilience through Domestic Capacity: Nations with strong domestic defence industries demonstrated higher strategic resilience.
    3. European Defence Reorientation: Renewed defence spending and saturation of traditional suppliers opened new markets.
    4. Cost-Effective Demand: Growing global demand for reliable and affordable defence platforms aligns with India’s strengths.
    5. Geostrategic Advantage: India’s Indian Ocean positioning and diplomatic outreach enhance export credibility.

    Procedural and Regulatory Bottlenecks

    1. Regulatory Complexity: Cumbersome licensing and approvals deter private and MSME participation.
    2. Export Licensing Delays: Slow clearances reduce competitiveness in time-sensitive global markets.
    3. Technology Transfer Approvals: Protracted processes impede collaboration and joint ventures.
    4. Investment Uncertainty: Lack of long-term demand visibility discourages large-scale private investment.

    Recalibrating Institutional Roles

    1. DRDO Reorientation: Core focus on frontier research and strategic technologies.
    2. Production Shift: Scaling and commercialisation to move increasingly towards industry.
    3. Public-Private Collaboration: Alignment with global best practices strengthens competitiveness.
    4. Export Facilitation: Dedicated, professionally staffed export facilitation agency enhances outreach and coordination.

    Financial, Testing, and Certification Challenges

    1. Credit Access Constraints: Competitive financing remains difficult for domestic manufacturers.
    2. Stringent Domestic Standards: Excessive compliance requirements delay market entry.
    3. Testing Infrastructure Gaps: Limited integrated testing facilities increase costs and timelines.
    4. Certification Barriers: Lack of international certification reduces export acceptance.

    Strategic Significance of Defence Exports

    1. Technological Maturity: Exports signal reliability and advanced manufacturing capability.
    2. Strategic Credibility: Defence supplies enhance trust and long-term security partnerships.
    3. Geopolitical Leverage: Defence trade strengthens India’s role in global security architecture.
    4. Employment Generation: High-skilled jobs contribute to economic diversification.

    Conclusion

    A strong defence industrial base is not merely an industrial objective but a defining pillar of India’s strategic and economic future. Sustained reforms, institutional clarity, and ecosystem development are essential to translate recent progress into enduring strategic capability and global influence.

    Defence Procurement Mechanism and Policies in India 

    1. Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) governs capital procurement of defence equipment and prioritises indigenous design, development, and manufacturing.
    2. Buy (Indian-IDDM) category ensures preference to indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured defence platforms.
    3. Buy (Indian) and Buy & Make (Indian) categories facilitate domestic production with limited foreign collaboration.
    4. Make Procedure supports indigenous development of complex defence systems through industry-led design and innovation.
    5. Strategic Partnership Model enables long-term partnerships between Indian private firms and global OEMs in critical defence segments.
    6. Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and Ordnance Factory Corporatisation improve efficiency, accountability, and competitiveness.
    7. Defence Industrial Corridors strengthen regional manufacturing ecosystems and supply-chain integration.
    8. Offset Policy mandates technology transfer and domestic value addition in large defence contracts.
    9. FDI Liberalisation in Defence allows foreign investment to facilitate technology inflow while retaining Indian control.
    10. Export Authorisation Reforms simplify licensing procedures to promote defence exports.
    11. Negative Import Lists restrict procurement of specified defence items from abroad to encourage domestic production.
    12. Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme expands certification and testing facilities to reduce entry barriers for domestic manufacturers.
    13. iDEX Framework integrates startups and MSMEs into defence innovation and procurement.
    14. Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP) provides capability planning to align procurement with strategic requirements.

  • Annatto

    Why in the news?

    • As informed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the CSIR–Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru has undertaken four Grant-in-Aid projects related to the study and development of annatto.

    What is Annatto?

    • Annatto is a natural food colouring and flavouring agent.
    • Obtained from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana).

    Origin & Botanical Facts

    • Scientific name: Bixa orellana
    • Native region: Tropical regions of the Americas
    • Plant type: Shrub/small tree
    • Usable part: Seed coating

    Key Chemical Constituents

    • Contains carotenoids (plant pigments)
      • Responsible for yellow-orange colour
    • Rich in:
      • Antioxidants
      • Tocotrienols (a form of Vitamin E)
      • Antimicrobial compounds

    Uses of Annatto

    Food Industry

    • Accounts for ~70% of natural food colours used globally
    With reference to ‘palm oil,’ consider the following statements: (2021)

    1. The palm oil tree is native to Southeast Asia. 

    2. Palm oil is a raw material for some industries producing lipstick and perfumes. 

    3. Palm oil can be used to produce biodiesel. 

    Which of the statements given above are correct? 

    (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, and 3

  • DHRUV64 Microprocessor

    Why in the News?

    India has unveiled DHRUV64, its first fully indigenously developed microprocessor, marking a major milestone in semiconductor self reliance and Atmanirbhar Bharat.

    About DHRUV64

    • Fully indigenous microprocessor developed in India
     • Developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C DAC)
     • Part of the Microprocessor Development Programme (MDP)

    Key Technical Features

    • 64 bit dual core processor
     • Clock speed of 1.0 GHz ( Very low compared to recent chips like Snapdragan clock speed more 4.0 GHz)
    • Uses superscalar execution allowing multiple instructions simultaneously
     • Supports out of order execution for improved performance
     • Integrated communication and control functions
     • Uses FCBGA packaging, enabling compact and system ready design

    Potential Applications

    • Strategic applications and commercial computing
     • 5G infrastructure
     • Automotive electronics
     • Consumer electronics
     • Industrial automation
     • Internet of Things (IoT) systems

    Significance for India

    • Reduces dependence on foreign microprocessors
     • Strengthens domestic semiconductor ecosystem
     • Enables startups, academia and industry to design and test indigenous systems
     • Supports low cost prototype development for new system architectures
     • Enhances technological sovereignty and national security

    When the alarm of your smart-phone rings… which one of the following terms best applies to the above scenario? (2018)

    (a) Border Gateway Protocol 

    (b) Internet of Things 

    (c) Internet Protocol 

    (d) Virtual Private Network

  • Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) 

    Why in the News?

    • A large multi-city study highlights the high prevalence of early GDM in Indian women
     • Early GDM linked with higher future diabetes risk

    What is GDM?

    • Gestational Diabetes Mellitus is glucose intolerance first diagnosed during pregnancy
     • Affects about 14 percent of pregnancies worldwide

    Types of GDM

    • Early GDM (EGDM): Diagnosed before 20 weeks of pregnancy
     • Late GDM (LGDM): Diagnosed between 24 to 28 weeks

    STRiDE Study

    • Conducted at 7 antenatal clinics
     • Sample size: over 3000 pregnant women
     • Locations: Chennai, Hyderabad, Puducherry
     • Published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice

    Key Findings

    • Early GDM prevalence: 21.5 percent
     • Late GDM prevalence: 19.5 percent
     • Early GDM affects about 1 in 5 pregnant women

    A company marketing food product advertises that its items do not contain trans-fats. What does this campaign signify to the customers? (2011)

    1. The food products are not made out of hydrogenated oils. 

    2. The food products are not made out of animal fats/oils. 

    3. The oils used are not likely to damage the cardiovascular health of the consumers. 

    Select the correct answer using the code given below: 

    (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

  • BlueBird 6 Satellite and LVM 3

    Why in the News?

    The Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO is scheduled to launch the BlueBird 6 satellite, developed by US based AST SpaceMobile, on 21 December 2025 using India’s heavy lift rocket LVM 3.

    About BlueBird 6 Satellite

    • Developer: AST SpaceMobile USA
     • Purpose: Provides direct to device internet connectivity, enabling normal mobile phones to access broadband without dependence on ground based cell towers
     • Weight: Around 6.5 tonnes, making it among the heaviest commercial satellites launched by ISRO
     • Orbit: Low Earth Orbit LEO
     • Technology: Equipped with one of the largest phased array antennas ever deployed in space, covering nearly 2,400 square feet
     • Capable of direct communication with standard smartphones
     • Significance: Enhances global mobile broadband connectivity, particularly in remote and rural regions
     • Strategic importance: Strengthens Indo US space cooperation and expands commercial space launch collaboration
     • Future impact: Helps bridge the digital divide by providing internet access in regions without cellular infrastructure

    About LVM 3

    • Full name: Launch Vehicle Mark 3
     • Also called GSLV Mk III or Bahubali
     • India’s heavy lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO
     • Designed for large satellite launches and human spaceflight missions

    With reference to India’s satellite launch vehicles, Consider the following statements: (2018)

    1. PSLVs launch the satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites. 

    2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth. 

    3. GSLV Mk III is a four-stage launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors, and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines. 

    Which of the statements given above is/ are correct? 

    (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1 and 2 (d) 3 only