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GS Paper: GS3

  • Invest In People For The Brighter Future

    Invest

    Central Idea

    • The world is indeed looking up to the Indian economy as a bright star, as the finance minister noted in the Budget speech on February 1. In 2020, India accounted for 20.6% of the worldwide population of 15- to 29-year-olds. Which means that in the years ahead, one out of every five workers deployed globally could be an Indian. No doubt, the rest of the world foresees a fortune in India’s young population. But are our policymakers doing enough to realise the possibilities that are unfolding?

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    The key proposals in this year’s Union budget are the following

    • Increase in capital expenditures for infrastructure: There will be a considerable increase in capital expenditures, for the building of physical infrastructure, mainly in transport, energy and defence. The figures under this head are expected to be higher in 2023-24 compared to the corresponding level in 2022-23 (revised estimates).
    • Modest tax revenue: The growth of the tax revenues is going to be modest, the government is nevertheless committed to reducing the fiscal deficit to 5.9% of GDP. That could have been achieved only by reducing the spending on some other sectors
    • The axe has fallen on subsidies and social sector expenditures: Compared to its previous year, in 2023-24, the Union government’s expenditure on food subsidy will fall by ₹0.9 trillion (or 90,000 crore), on fertilizer subsidy by ₹0.5 trillion, and on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) by ₹0.3 trillion.
    • Marginal increase unlikely to make impact: The marginal increases in the allocations on health, education, agriculture and the Angwandi scheme are unlikely to make an impact, after taking into account the effect of inflation.

    Public-private complementarities

    • Capital spending indicates country’s productive capability: A jump in capital spending by the government, as proposed in the Budget, is a much-needed step to reinvigorate the Indian economy. Investment as a proportion of income or GDP indicates the rate at which a country’s productive capabilities are growing.
    • High rates of investment; Fast rates of economic progress: In India, this proportion rose steadily during the mid-2000s and peaked at 42% in 2007, which was even better than China’s record at that point in time. High rates of investment translated into extremely fast rates of economic progress in the country, which lasted until the early 2010s.
    • Crowd in Private investments: If the proposed investments by the government come through, and they indeed crowd in private investments as the finance minister has predicted, that can set the stage for a revival of the Indian economy.

    Global financial crisis in 2007-08 was a turning point

    • China responded with high domestic investment: China responded to the crisis by increasing domestic investment, a large part of which coming from its public sector.
    • India restrained its expenditures: In India, the government restrained its expenditures, worrying about the rising fiscal deficits. As public expenditures nosedived, private investors lost confidence as well. Investment as a proportion of GDP was on a steady downward slide

    Invest

    Investing in people is an investment in the future

    • Expenditure on social sector: Public expenditures on the social sectors constitute an investment for the future more so for a country with a predominantly young population.
    • For instance: The income a destitute mother receives for work through MGNREGA may ensure that her children do not have to go to school with empty stomachs.
    • Underinvestment in education: Underinvestment in education and health will undercut India’s chances in a global economy that is increasingly dominated by knowledge. Millions of young people are denied access to affordable education and decent jobs, leading to frustration.
    • For instance: In 2022, only 2.6% of the nearly 1.9 million candidates who wrote the NEET managed to secure a seat for MBBS in a government college.
    • Government expenditure to boost to supply and demand: Government expenditure on health and education can provide a boost to both the supply and the demand fronts in a knowledge-driven economy, more new jobs as teachers and doctors, especially for women, and a greater supply of younger professionals and skilled workers.

    Importance of social sector spending for long-term growth and social welfare

    • Contrasting Capital Expenditures with Social Sector Spending: Unlike capital expenditures, which are generally considered productive, subsidies and social sector spending are often labeled as wasteful. It is commonly believed that cutting social sector spending will not harm economic growth; however, this perception is incorrect.
    • The Negative Impact of Reducing Social Sector Spending: Cutting social sector spending not only exacerbates existing social inequalities but also dampens the prospects for long-term growth.
    • For instance: In India, for example, only 9.8% of workers have access to regular jobs that provide some form of social security. Therefore, measures such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and the free provision of food have been a lifeline for millions of poor Indians who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and joblessness.

    Unwarranted fears about fiscal deficit

    • The Counterproductive Nature of Inflated Fears: Inflated fears about the fiscal deficit and government debt will only be counterproductive in a country possessing vast reserves of untapped human and other resources as India does.
    • India’s government debt is held largely by domestic financial institutions does not pose threat: Only a small portion of India’s public debt is owed to external agencies (amounting to 4.2% of GDP in 2022), which does not pose a threat. India’s public debt is held largely by domestic financial institutions, including public sector banks, insurance companies. This is a debt the government owes to the people of this country, whose savings the financial institutions have mobilised.
    • For example: Greece and the most recent example of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis was a result of external debt.
    • A Virtuous Cycle of Debt: Higher levels of development and incomes will lead to the creation of fresh savings, which can help pay off the debts. Borrowing to feed and educate all of its young citizens will provide asset-poor and socially disadvantaged households the opportunity to pick up qualifications required to enter the new job market.

    Invest

    Conclusion

    • For a generation of young Indians, this is, without a doubt, a ‘make or break moment’. without increased public spending on human capabilities, there is little hope for them to escape poverty, lack of skills, and discontent. However, if the government invests in food security, health, and education, India’s young people can thrive and become bright stars that illuminate the world.

    Mains question

    Q. Without increased public spending on human capabilities, there is little hope for young Indians to escape poverty and discontent. Discuss.

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  • SC raps govt on plea on ED chief’s term

    ed

    The Supreme Court has sharply reacted over tenure extensions granted to Enforcement Directorate Director by the government to subvert ongoing investigations against their leaders.

    What is Enforcement Directorate (ED)?

    • ED was formed in 1957 to look into cases of foreign exchange-related violations, a civil provision.
    • It goes back to May 1, 1956, when an ‘Enforcement Unit’ was formed in the Department of Economic Affairs.
    • Now, the ED falls under the finance ministry’s Department of Revenue.
    • But in 2002, after the introduction of the PMLA, it started taking up cases of financial fraud and money laundering, which were of criminal nature.
    • It was then tasked for handling Exchange Control Laws violations under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA).
    • Today, it is a multi-dimensional organisation investigating economic offences under the:
    1. Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)
    2. Fugitive Economic Offenders Act
    3. Foreign Exchange Management Act
    4. Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA)

    Its establishment

    • When proceeds of crime (property/money) are generated, the best way to save that money is by parking it somewhere, so one is not answerable to anyone in the country.
    • Therefore, there was a need to control and prevent the laundering of money.
    • The PMLA was brought in for this exact reason in 2002, but was enacted only in 2005.
    • The objective was to prevent parking of the money outside India and to trace out the layering and the trail of money.
    • So as per the Act, the ED got its power to investigate under Sections 48 (authorities under act) and 49 (appointment and powers of authorities and other officers).

    At what stage does the ED step in when a crime is committed?

    • Whenever any offence is registered by a local police station, which has generated proceeds of crime over and above ₹1 crore, the investigating police officer forwards the details to the ED.
    • Alternately, if the offence comes under the knowledge of the Central agency, they can then call for the First Information Report (FIR) or the chargesheet if it has been filed directly by police officials.
    • This will be done to find out if any laundering has taken place.

    What differentiates the probe between the local police and officers of the ED?

    Case study:

    • If a theft has been committed in a nationalised bank, the local police station will first investigate the crime.
    • If it is learnt that the founder of the bank took all the money and kept it in his house, without being spent or used, then the crime is only theft and the ED won’t interfere because the amount has already been seized.
    • But if the amount which has been stolen is used after four years to purchase some properties, then the ill-gotten money is brought back in the market.
    • Or if the money is given to someone else to buy properties in different parts of the country, then there is ‘laundering’ of money.
    • Hence the ED will need to step in and look into the layering and attachment of properties to recover the money.
    • If jewellery costing ₹1 crore is stolen, police officers will investigate the theft. The ED, however, will attach assets of the accused to recover the amount of ₹1 crore.

    Roles and functions of the ED

    • Summon, Search and seizure: The ED carries out search (property) and seizure (money/documents) after it has decided that the money has been laundered, under Section 16 (power of survey) and Section 17 (search and seizure) of the PMLA.
    • Arrest and detentions: On the basis of that, the authorities will decide if an arrest is needed as per Section 19 (power of arrest).
    • Attachment of property: Under Section 50, the ED can also directly carry out search and seizure without calling the person for questioning. It is not necessary to summon the person first and then start with the search and seizure.
    • Filing of chargesheet: If the person is arrested, the ED gets 60 days to file the prosecution complaint (chargesheet) as the punishment under PMLA doesn’t go beyond seven years.

    Centrestage of our debate: Over-reach by Investigation Agencies

    Why is ED comes to pictures frequently?

    Ans. Money laundering

    • Money laundering is the process of making significant amounts of money obtained through criminal activities, such as drug trafficking or terrorist funding, appear to have come from a legitimate source.
    • As a result, it provides an incentive for money launderers to “legitimize” their ill-gotten gains through money laundering.
    • The money generated is referred to as ‘dirty money,’ and money laundering is the act of converting ‘dirty money’ into ‘legitimate’ money.

    Why ED mostly grips Politicians?

    • Exposing rampant corruption: It is not always ironic to say that most politicians are never corrupt. We have a very inglorious past of political corruption.
    • Selective witch-hunt: The ED has often been attacked for initiating investigations, raiding and questioning leaders of opposition parties, be it under the current regime or under past governments.

    Issues with PMLA

    • Misuse of central agencies: PMLA is being pulled into the investigation of even ordinary crimes by the Enforcement Directorate.
    • Seizing of assets: Assets of genuine victims have been attached. The ED could just walk into anybody’s house.
    • Politically motivated raids: In all this, the fundamental purpose of PMLA to investigate the conversion of “illegitimate money into legitimate money” was lost.
    • Opacity of charges: Petitioners pointed out that even the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) – an equivalent of the FIR – is considered an “internal document” and not given to the accused.
    • Vagueness over evidence: The accused is called upon to make statements that are treated as admissible in evidence.
    • Harassment: The ED begins to summon accused persons and seeks details of all their financial transactions and of their family members.
    • Against individual liberty: The initiation of an investigation by the ED has consequences that have the potential of curtailing the liberty of an individual.

    Allegations against ED

    • Huge discretions: The ED is the only Central agency in the country that does not require permission from the government to summon or prosecute politicians or government functionaries for committing economic offences like money laundering.
    • Used for petty crimes: PMLA is pulled into the investigation of even “ordinary” crimes and assets of genuine victims have been attached.
    • Actual purpose denigrated: PMLA was a comprehensive penal statute to counter the threat of money laundering, specifically stemming from the trade in narcotics.
    • Violations of Rights: PMLA was enacted in response to India’s global commitment to combat the menace of money laundering. Instead, rights have been “cribbed, cabined and confined”.
    • Functional opacity: There is also a lack of clarity about ED’s selection of cases to investigate. We often see ED raiding houses of opposition parties suddenly.
    • Poor rate of conviction: We have hardly read the conclusion of cases by ED. Meantime media-trial tears off the accused person’s credibility which is the most desired intent.
    • Under-trials and slower prosecution: ED has been focusing on keeping the accused in custody rather than actually proving the charges against them.

    Challenges to ED

    • ED being dragged to court: The petitions against the ED had the effect of slowing down the investigations, as officers have to defend themselves in court.
    • Foul crying politicians: There are attempts to cover up unexplained, high-value transactions that fall within the PMLA’s ambit
    • Investigation of foreign transactions: Getting information on accounts and money stashed abroad to establish a trail is the biggest challenge they face.

    Way forward

    • The fight against corruption is intimately linked with the reform of the investigations.
    • Therefore the adjudicating authorities must work in cooperation and ensure the highest standards of transparency and fairness.
    • ED has been walking a tightrope to safeguard its integrity by speeding up investigations and court procedures.
    • The need of the hour could be systemic fixes—and not shrill calls to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
    • It is unlikely that corruption can be substantially reduced without modifying the way government agencies operate.

     

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  • Organ on a chip: New setup for lab testing

    organ

    Central idea: Organ-on-a-chip technology has emerged as a new laboratory setup that scientists are using instead of animals to test new drugs.

    What is Organ-on-a-Chip?

    • Organ-on-a-chip is a microfluidic device that aims to mimic the structure and function of specific human organs or tissues in vitro.
    • It is a small, transparent chip made of biocompatible materials such as silicon, glass, or polymers, and contains tiny channels lined with living cells.
    • The living cells are derived from human tissues and can be cultured to replicate the microenvironment of the specific organ being modelled.

    How does Organ-on-a-Chip work?

    • Microfluidic channels simulation: Each organ-on-a-chip contains a complex network of microfluidic channels and chambers that can simulate the mechanical and chemical environment of a specific organ.
    • Mimics the blood flow: The microfluidic channels can mimic the flow of blood and air, while the living cells provide a realistic environment for drug testing and disease modelling.

    Potential applications of organ-on-a-chip

    • Organ-on-a-chip technology has numerous potential applications, including drug development, disease modelling, and toxicity testing.
    • By replicating the structure and function of human organs, researchers can study how organs interact with drugs and other compounds.
    • This could lead to the development of more effective and personalized treatments for a variety of diseases.
    • Additionally, organ-on-a-chip technology provides a more ethical and effective approach to testing drugs and other compounds, reducing the reliance on animal testing.

    Examples of Organ-on-a-Chip

    Several examples of organ-on-a-chip technology have been developed, including-

    • Lung-on-a-chip mimics the air-blood interface in the lungs
    • Heart-on-a-chip mimics the mechanical and electrical properties of the heart
    • Liver-on-a-chip replicates the metabolic activity of the liver
    • Brain-on-a-chip models the blood-brain barrier and neural activity in the brain

    Future prospects

    • Organ-on-a-chip technology is a promising and rapidly evolving field that offers numerous advantages over traditional drug development and testing methods.
    • It provides a more ethical and effective approach to testing drugs and other compounds, reducing the reliance on animal testing.
    • Furthermore, it has the potential to revolutionize the field of drug development by enabling more personalized and effective treatments for a variety of diseases.

     

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  • National Science Day and CV Raman

    raman

    National Science Day is commemorated on Feb 28 every year to commemorate the bird anniversary of Sir CV Raman.

    National Science Day

    • In 1986, the Government of India, under then PM Rajiv Gandhi, designated February 28 as National Science Day to commemorate the announcement of the discovery of the “Raman Effect”.
    • The Raman Effect was the discovery which won physicist Sir CV Raman his Nobel Prize in 1930.

    Who was CV Raman?

    • Raman conducted his Nobel-prize-winning research at IACS, Calcutta.
    • While he was educated entirely in India, Raman travelled to London for the first time in 1921, where his reputation in the study of optics and acoustics was known to physicists such as JJ Thomson and Lord Rutherford.
    • The Raman Effect won scientist Sir CV Raman the Nobel Prize for physics in 1930.
    • It was also designated as an International Historic Chemical Landmark jointly by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS).
    • His speciality was the study of vibrations and sounds of stringed instruments such as the Indian veena and tambura, and Indian percussion instruments such as the tabla and mridangam.

    The Raman Effect

    • In 1928, Raman discovered that when a stream of light passes through a liquid, a fraction of the light scattered by the liquid is of a different colour.
    • While Raman was returning from London in a 15-day voyage, he started thinking about the colour of the deep blue Mediterranean.
    • He wasn’t convinced by the explanation that the colour of the sea was blue due to the reflection of the sky.
    • As the ship docked in Bombay, he sent a letter to the editor of the journal Nature, in which he penned down his thoughts on this.
    • Subsequently, Raman was able to show that the blue colour of the water was due to the scattering of the sunlight by water molecules.
    • By this time he was obsessed with the phenomenon of light scattering.

    Observing the effect

    raman

    • The Raman Effect is when the change in the energy of the light is affected by the vibrations of the molecule or material under observation, leading to a change in its wavelength.
    • Significantly, it notes that the Raman effect is “very weak” — this is because when the object in question is small (smaller than a few nanometres), the light will pass through it undisturbed.
    • But a few times in a billion, light waves may interact with the particle. This could also explain why it was not discovered before.
    • In general, when light interacts with an object, it can either be reflected, refracted or transmitted.
    • One of the things that scientists look at when light is scattered is if the particle it interacts with is able to change its energy.

    Real-life applications

    • Raman spectroscopy is used in many varied fields – in fact, any application where non-destructive, microscopic, chemical analysis and imaging is required.
    • Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data, Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly.
    • It can be used to rapidly characterize the chemical composition and structure of a sample, whether solid, liquid, gas, gel, slurry or powder.

     

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  • Surya Nutan: A Stove of Green Energy Transition

    Stove

    Central Idea

    • The formal launch of the Indian Oil Corporation’s patented solar cook-stove at the India Energy Week 2023 (February 6-8, 2023 in Bengaluru as part of the G-20 calendar of events) by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi must be looked at closely from the point of view of India’s national energy story. While Mr. Modi claimed the stove would soon reach three crore households within the next few years, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri called it a catalyst in accelerating adoption of low-carbon options along with biofuels, electric vehicles, and green hydrogen.

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    Salient features of Surya Nutan solar cook-stove

    • Indoor solar cooking: Surya Nutan is a Stationary, rechargeable, and always kitchen-connected indoor solar cooking.
    • Patented by Indian Oil: This is a patented product designed and developed by Indian Oil R&D Centre, Faridabad.
    • Maximum utilization of solar energy: It offers online cooking mode while charging through the Sun which maximizes the system efficiency and ensures high utilization of energy from Sun.
    • How it will work?: It collects energy from the sun, converts it into heat through a specially designed heating element, stores thermal energy in a scientifically proven thermal battery and reconverts the energy for use in indoor cooking. The energy captured not just covers day time cooking needs of a family of four but also the night meal.
    • Hybrid mode: It works on a Hybrid Mode (i.e. can work on both solar & auxiliary energy source simultaneously) which makes the Surya Nutan a reliable cooking solution for all weather conditions.
    • Minimises heat loss: Insulation design of Surya Nutan minimizes radiative and conductive heat losses.
    • Surya Nutan is available in three different models: The premium model (Breakfast +Lunch+Dinner) of Surya Nutan can cook all the meals for family of four.
    • What will be the cost: Initially, cost of the product is around Rs 12,000 for base model, and Rs. 23,000 for Top Model. However, the cost is expected to reduce substantially with economies of scale. At a price of Rs. 12,000-14,000/- for Top Model, assuming annual consumption of 6-8 LPG cylinders, this product can pay back the buyer in first 1-2 years itself.
    • Inbuilt Safety aspects: All the safety aspects required in any indoor appliances are inbuilt in Surya Nutan.
    • substitute for fossil fuels: The stove, which entails a one-time procurement cost and has zero maintenance, is being touted as a substitute for fossil fuels. It does not have a traditional battery that needs replacement. Also, the solar panel has a 25-year life.
    • Modular system: Surya Nutan is a modular system and can be designed in different sizes as per the requirement.

    India’s national energy story

    • In 1950s, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) fabricated a solar cooker and state-led hydroelectric power but failed to address rural energy consumption.
    • Parallel efforts to improve the traditional stove proved unsuccessful, such as the Hyderabad Engineering Research Laboratories smokeless chulha.
    • 1980s government launched improved chulhas program to reduce fuelwood consumption and benefit women’s health/finances with 50% subsidy incentive. But the program failed due to construction, maintenance, and corruption issues. Women still rely on chulha despite hazards.
    • Cooking is 80% of rural Indian household’s energy use. 668m people in India use biomass for cooking/lighting, despite LPG scheme success. Fuel price inflation and subsidy withdrawal force women to use chulha with hazards.

    India Energy Week 2023

    • India’s G20 Presidency: India Energy Week 2023 is being organised during India’s G20 Presidency, under the tagline “Growth, Collaboration, Transition”, from 6-8 February 2023 in Bengaluru.
    • Opportunity for India: It provided a unique opportunity to showcase India as both an engine of global economic growth and a driver for global consumption, supported by a conducive and investment-friendly environment, and a skilled workforce.
    • Opportunity for strategic policy making and knowledge sharing: IEW 2023 was an unprecedented opportunity for regional, international leaders and CEOs to come together for strategic policy making and technical knowledge sharing.

    Why In India?

    • India is projected to witness the largest increase in energy demand of any country over the next two decades, as its economy continues to grow and create opportunities for its people to fulfil their potential.
    • India’s share in global energy consumption will rise from 7% to 14% by 2050
    • IEA predicts India will account for 25% of energy demand growth from 2020 to 2040
    • India’s oil and gas demand will triple by 2050
    • Gas consumption to grow threefold by 2030
    • Share of gas in energy mix to rise from 6.3% today to 15% by 2030

    Do you know “THE PANCHAMRIT” (The five-nectar-element commitments)?

    1. Indian Will take its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030.
    2. Indian will meet 50 % of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030.
    3. India will reduce the total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now till 2030.
    4. By 2030, India will reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by less than 45 percent.
    5. By the year 2070, India will achieve the target of net zero

    Conclusion

    • Surya Nutan has the potential to transform our energy security situation, as India currently imports 50% of its LPG requirements. It also reduces India’s CO2 emissions drastically and keeps our citizens insulated from the vagaries of the high international fossil fuel prices. India’s energy transition will play a pivotal role in global energy markets. India Energy Week comes at a critical time, with the challenges of energy security and environmental sustainability impacting long-term energy transition and paths towards decarbonisation.

    Mains Question

    Q. Indian Oil Corporation recently launched the Surya Nutan a solar cook-stove at the India Energy Week 2023. Discuss its salient features and potential benefits for energy security for rural households.

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  • India ranks 42 among 55 countries on International IP Index

    ip

    India ranks 42nd among 55 leading global economies on the International Intellectual Property (IP) Index released by the US Chambers of Commerce.

    International IP Index

    • It is released annually by the US Chamber of Commerce.
    • The index evaluates IP rights in 55 global economies across 50 unique indicators.
    • The indicators include patent and copyright policies to commercialization of IP assets, and ratification of international treaties.
    • The index aims to help nations navigate toward a brighter economic future marked by greater innovation, creativity, and competitiveness.

    Key prospects for India

    • India is ripe to become a leader for emerging markets seeking to transform their economy through IP-driven innovation said the report.
    • Successful IP-based businesses in India include pharmaceutical companies, software firms, and creative industries.

    Key factors contributing to India’s score

    • IP laws
    • Efficiency of its judicial system and
    • Level of enforcement of IP rights

    Challenges faced

    • These are some challenges faced by Indian companies in protecting and monetizing their IP include issues such as-
    1. Counterfeiting
    2. Piracy
    3. Weak enforcement of IP laws

    IP regime in India

    Broadly, the following acts deal with the protection of intellectual property:

    • Trade Marks Act, 1999
    • The Patents Act, 1970 (as amended in 2005)
    • The Copyright Act, 1957
    • The Designs Act, 2000
    • The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999
    • The Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout Design Act, 2000
    • The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Right Act, 2001
    • The Information Technology Act, 2000

    Way forward

    • India must undertake reforms to strengthen IP protection and enforcement, modernizing IP laws, and increasing investment in IP infrastructure.
    • Collaboration between government, industry, and academia is important in improving India’s IP ecosystem/
    • Lessons can be learned from other countries with successful IP regimes, such as the United States, Japan, and South Korea.

     

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  • Are neutrinos their own anti-particles?

    neutrino

    Central idea: The article discusses recent research on the idea that neutrinos might be their own antiparticles, a concept that has been debated in the scientific community for many years.

    What are neutrinos?

    • Neutrinos are fundamental particles that are similar to electrons but have no electric charge.
    • They are one of the most abundant particles in the universe, but they are also one of the most difficult to detect because they interact only very weakly with matter.
    • Neutrinos are created in a variety of natural processes, including nuclear reactions in stars, radioactive decay, and cosmic ray interactions.
    • They are also produced in particle accelerators and nuclear reactors.

    Its types

    • Neutrinos come in three different types or “flavors”:
    1. Electron neutrinos
    2. Muon neutrinos, and
    3. Tau neutrinos
    • Each flavor of neutrino is associated with a different charged lepton (electron, muon, or tau).

    Why study neutrinos?

    • Because they are electrically neutral and interact only weakly with matter, neutrinos can pass through enormous amounts of material without being stopped or deflected.
    • This property makes them useful for studying astrophysical phenomena such as supernovae and the sun’s interior, as well as for exploring the fundamental nature of matter.

    Neutrinos as their own antiparticles

    • Particle physics explains that particles and their antiparticles have opposite properties, and they can annihilate each other when they meet.
    • Neutrinos are fundamental particles that are difficult to detect as they have no electric charge and interact only weakly with matter.
    • The idea that neutrinos could be their own antiparticles is supported by the fact that they are electrically neutral, and they could interact with themselves in a process called neutrinoless double beta decay.

    Substantiation of this

    • The Majorana Demonstrator experiment is designed to detect neutrinoless double beta decay.
    • The experiment has reported some promising results that suggest that neutrinos could indeed be their own antiparticles.

    Significance of this theory

    • If confirmed, the idea that neutrinos are their own antiparticles could have important implications for our understanding of the fundamental nature of matter and the universe as a whole.
    • More research will be needed before any definitive conclusions can be drawn, but the results of the Majorana Demonstrator experiment provide some promising evidence for the idea that neutrinos are their own antiparticles.

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  • Upgrades in the ALMA Telescope

    alma

    The Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) — a radio telescope in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile is set to get software and hardware upgrades.

    What is ALMA?

    • ALMA is a state-of-the-art telescope that studies celestial objects at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths which can penetrate through dust clouds.
    • It helps astronomers examine dim and distant galaxies and stars out there.
    • It also has extraordinary sensitivity, which allows it to detect even extremely faint radio signals.
    • The telescope consists of 66 high-precision antennas, spread over a distance of up to 16 km.
    • Each antenna is outfitted with a series of receivers, and each receiver is tuned to a specific range of wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum.

    Who operates ALMA?

    • ALMA is operated under a partnership among the United States, 16 countries in Europe, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Chile.
    • Fully functional since 2013, the radio telescope was designed, planned and constructed by US, Japan and EU.

    Why is ALMA located in Chile’s Atacama Desert?

    • ALMA is situated at an altitude of 16,570 feet (5,050 metres) above sea level on the Chajnantor plateau in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
    • The high altitude and low humidity of the site make it an ideal location for a radio telescope, as there is minimal atmospheric interference.
    • Moreover, the desert is the driest place in the world, meaning most of the nights here are clear of clouds and free of light-distorting moisture — making it a perfect location for examining the universe.

    Significant discoveries

    • One of the earliest findings came in 2013 when it discovered starburst galaxies earlier in the universe’s history than they were previously thought to have existed.
    • These newly discovered galaxies represent what today’s most massive galaxies looked like in their energetic, star-forming youth.
    • In 2015, the telescope helped scientists observe a phenomenon known as the Einstein ring, which occurs when light from a galaxy or star passes by a massive object en route to the Earth, in extraordinary detail.

     

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  • Food Security and Energy Crisis In The South Asian neighbourhood

    Central Idea

    • To be sure, the Ukraine-Russia conflict has thrown the energy markets into a crisis in several Global South nations. In addition, the supply cuts by edible-oil exporting countries, alongside the rise in fuel prices, have led to a surge in food prices, making food security a primary concern, especially for the vulnerable sections of society. In addition, China’s COVID-19 surge has dampened global economy, especially in BoB.

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    How the South Asian neighbourhood is in flux?

    • Sri Lanka and Pakistan: Sri Lanka and Pakistan are facing economic headwinds, with the former having gone through a full-blown economic collapse and the latter facing huge external debts, power shortages, and extreme inflation.
    • Bangladesh: The IMF sanctioned a precautionary loan of US $4.7 billion to Bangladesh amidst the precarious macroeconomic situation in the country, with high inflation and volatility of the Bangladeshi Taka.
    • Myanmar: A post-coup Myanmar sees a shutdown of businesses and a massive spike in unemployment.
    • Nepal: Nepal, too, sees widening trade deficits and declining foreign exchange reserves.

    How Russia-Ukraine war challenges Food security?

    • Russia-Ukraine war and the resulting food crisis: Ukraine and Russia play a significant role in the global food supply chains, further affecting low- and middle-income countries and vulnerable populations already grappling with hunger in the post-pandemic world.
    • Wheat suppliers: Since both countries exported more than one-third of the world’s wheat and barley, and about 70 percent of sunflower oil, governments around the world were severely hit as the war stopped exports of around 20 million tons of Ukrainian grain.
    • Agricultural commodities exports to Asia have dried up: An estimated 6 million tons of agricultural commodities were exported monthly to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. As of June 2022, this number had dried up to a fifth of its original value.
    • Ripple effects on food prices and availability: According to the United Nations’ (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global food prices have risen by 20 percent. It further predicts a rise in the undernourished population to be between 7.6 to 13.1 million, because of the conflict situation and its ripple effects on food prices and availability.

    Sri Lanka: A case of Food security crisis

    • The economic meltdown in Sri Lanka wreaked havoc on the food security of the local population.
    • For Sri Lanka, the sudden switch to organic farming in 2021 worsened its trade performance in the agricultural sector.
    • The island nation had to import sugar, rice, and various other commodities, including intermediate goods in which the economy had had a previous surplus.
    • By 2022, the tea industry, which was a major commodity of exchange, incurred losses of approximately US $425 million, further worsening the economy’s foreign exchange situation.

    Energy crisis

    • Heavy on energy imports: The data analysis on energy imports shows that all the countries in Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), especially India, Myanmar, and Bhutan, rely heavily on energy imports.
    • Fuel dependency makes the region highly vulnerable to external shocks: The trade dependency on fuel is a major curse for the region, making it highly vulnerable to exogenous macroeconomic shocks. The Russia-Ukraine conflict underscores the importance of nations having self-reliance regarding energy.
    • Absence of infrastructure and synchronisation in BIMSTEC Grid plan: Despite the BIMSTEC countries having developed a ‘Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation in BIMSTEC’ and also signed a MoU for the establishment of the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection in August 2018, the absence of required infrastructure and adaptive power market, the lack of synchronisation of the grid system, the lack of financial policies, and other related issues have made progress in energy cooperation slow among the countries in the region.

    Bangladesh: In a tough spot

    • Unable to set in motion the transition to renewable energy, alongside heavy dependence on fuel imports, Bangladesh, especially, has been placed in a tough spot concerning energy security.
    • The Russia-Ukraine conflict has added more fuel to this fire. With energy prices climbing upwards and subsidy bills increasing, the fiscal balances and current account deficits have been worrisome for Bangladesh’s economy.
    • The government had to finally put in place some austerity measures. The domestic prices of diesel, kerosene, octane, and petrol were increased to achieve price parity with its neighbours such as India, China, and Nepal.

    Way ahead

    • Safeguard against food security crisis: It becomes imperative for regional groupings to set up safeguards against crises where their food security is affected by geopolitical events and domestic macroeconomic threats.
    • Food Bank for BIMSTEC: The idea of a food bank for the BIMSTEC countries modelled on the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) Food Bank is a good start as it will aid in stabilising prices.
    • India urged to develop regional strategy and promoting millets: Recently, in November 2022, India hosted the second Agriculture Ministerial-level meeting of the BIMSTEC nations, where it urged the member countries to develop a regional strategy for transforming agriculture and promoting millets into the food systems.
    • Millets have potential to ameliorate food insecurity: Promotion and intra-regional trade of food items such as millets, where these countries have surplus production, can help ameliorate food insecurity to a large extent.
    • Self-reliance in energy: Overdependence on fuel will make the region more vulnerable and affect its financial stability. Therefore, developing a domestic energy market is critical for the region. This can be achieved by accelerating the green transition.
    • For instance: FDI from Japanese firms has constantly seen more impacts and spillovers in the Indian economy. If Japanese firms’ economies of scale and their potential in developing different green energy technologies could be fully utilised, it would reduce the regional dependence on China, which is currently the dominant player in the domain of solar energy.

    Conclusion

    • Regional economies have huge potential to invest in research for green transition technologies and sustainable agriculture which can help them have self-reliant energy and food markets respectively. Led by India, the Bay of Bengal region can lead the way in innovations in renewable forms of energy such as solar and wind.

    Mains Question

    Q. The South Asian neighbourhood is in flux. Discuss the major challenges and suggest a way ahead.

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  • Cyberattacks: India’s Opportunity To Conceptualize Global Cyber Security Framework

    Cyberattacks

    Central Idea

    • The past few weeks have highlighted the soft underbelly of our fast-expanding digital networks. Ransomwares have emerged as the most predominant of malicious cyberattacks. Here, the perpetrators demand hefty payments for the release of withheld data. Data show that over 75% of Indian organisations have faced such attacks, with each breach costing an average of ₹35 crore of damage.

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    Two recent ransomware attacks

    1. Ransomware attack on AIIMS: The first was the ransomware attack on the servers of India’s premium institute, the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. Nearly 40 million health records were compromised and it took over two weeks for the systems to be brought online.
    2. BlackCat breached Solar Industries Ltd.: Soon afterwards, a ransomware gang, BlackCat, breached the parent company of Solar Industries Limited, one of the Ministry of Defence’s ammunition and explosives manufacturers, and extracted over 2 Terabyte of data.

    Cyberattacks

    What is mean by Cyber-attack?

    • Cyberattacks are unwelcome attempts to steal, expose, alter, disable or destroy information through unauthorized access to computer systems.
    • These attacks can target various entities such as governments, businesses, organizations, or individuals, and can have serious consequences such as theft of sensitive information, financial loss, reputational damage, or disruption of critical services.

    Who is behind cyberattacks?

    • Criminal organizations, state actors and private persons can launch cyberattacks against enterprises. One way to classify cyberattack risks is by outsider versus insider threats.
    1. Outsider threats: External cyber threats include; Organized criminals or criminal groups Professional hackers, like state-sponsored actors, Amateur hackers, like hacktivists
    2. Insider threats: Insider threats are users who have authorized and legitimate access to a company’s assets and abuse them either deliberately or accidentally. They include, Employees careless of security policies and procedures, Disgruntled current or former employees, Business partners, clients, contractors or suppliers with system access

    Growing vulnerability

    • There are malwares that could infect all kinds of computer systems: With the lines between the physical and digital realms blurring rapidly, every critical infrastructure, from transportation, power and banking systems, would become extremely vulnerable to the assaults from hostile state and non-state actors.
    • For instance; Cyber capabilities are also playing a pivotal role: As seen in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where electronic systems in warheads, radars and communication devices have reportedly been rendered ineffective using hacking and GPS jamming.
    • Cyber security breaches would only increase: With the introduction of 5G and the arrival of quantum computing, the potency of malicious software, and avenues for digital security breaches would only increase.
    • For instance: This year, cybercrimes are expected to cause damage worth an estimated $8 trillion worldwide.

    India’s cybersecurity architecture

    • CERT-In: In 2022, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), which is India’s cybersecurity agency, introduced a set of guidelines for organisations to comply with when connected to the digital realm. This included the mandatory obligation to report cyberattack incidents within hours of identifying them, and designating a pointsperson with domain knowledge to interact with CERT-In.
    • Draft Digital Personal Protection Bill, 2022: India’s draft Digital Personal Protection Bill 2022 proposes a penalty of up to ₹500 crore for data breaches.
    • Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA): Recently, India’s armed forces created a Defence Cyber Agency, capable of offensive and defensive manoeuvres. All Indian States have their own cyber command and control centres.
    • Cybercrime Co-ordination centre: The Indian Cybercrime Co-ordination Centre (I4C) established by the Ministry of Home Affairs, acts as a nodal point in the response against cybercrime by coordinating with state police forces across the country. It also co-ordinates the implementation of mutual legal assistance treaties (MLAT) with other countries.

    Have you heard about “Bluebugging”?

    • It is a form of hacking that lets attackers access a device through its discoverable Bluetooth connection.
    • Once a device or phone is blue-bugged, a hacker can listen to the calls, read and send messages and steal and modify contacts.
    • It started out as a threat for laptops with Bluetooth capability. Later hackers used the technique to target mobile phones and other devices.

    Limitations In India’s cybersecurity infrastructure

    • Lack of tools to identify: Most organisations lack the tools to identify cyberattacks, let alone prevent them.
    • Scarcity of cybersecurity professional: India also faces an acute scarcity of cybersecurity professionals. India is projected to have a total workforce of around 3,00,000 people in this sector in contrast to the 1.2 million people in the United States.
    • Private sector participation is limited: Most of our organizations are in the private sector, and their participation remains limited in India’s cybersecurity structures.

    Global understanding is essential

    • International cooperation is critical: With most cyberattacks originating from beyond our borders, international cooperation would be critical to keep our digital space secure. It would also be a cause which would find resonance abroad.
    • Cybersecurity treaties: India has already signed cybersecurity treaties, where the countries include the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, South Korea and the European Union.
    • Multinational frameworks are there but there is no truly global framework: Even in multinational frameworks such as the Quad and the I2U2 (which India is a member of) there are efforts to enhance cooperation in cyber incident responses, technology collaboration, capacity building, and in the improvement of cyber resilience. Yet, there is no truly global framework, with many operating in silos.
    • UNGA established two processes on ICT: The United Nations General Assembly establish two processes on the issues of security in the information and communication technologies (ICT) environment.
    • The Open-ended Working Group (OEWG), comprising the entire UN membership, established through a resolution by Russia.
    • The other is the resolution by the U.S., on the continuation of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE), comprising 25 countries from all the major regions.
    • Differ vastly on many aspects of Internet: The two antagonistic permanent members of the UN Security Council, counted among India’s most important strategic partners, differ vastly on many aspects of the Internet, including openness, restrictions on data flow, and digital sovereignty. Amidst the turbulent current world events, these UN groups would struggle to have effective dialogues.

    Conclusion

    • The G-20 summit this year in India, which will see participation by all the stakeholders driving the global levers of power, is a rare opportunity to bring together domestic and international engagement groups across the spectrum, and steer the direction of these consultations. India could make an effort to conceptualize a global framework of common minimum acceptance for cybersecurity. This would be one of the most significant contributions made by any nation towards collective security in modern times.

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