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FMC Projects to push coal out of mines quicker
The coal ministry has announced several first-mile connectivity (FMC) projects, in line with the government’s coal logistics policy.

What is first-mile connectivity in coal?
- FMC refers to transportation of coal from pitheads to dispatch points from where it would be transported to consumers.
- Under FMC, coal producers adopt alternate transport methods—such as mechanized conveyor systems and computerized loading on to railway rakes—to replace road transport.
- FMC projects reduce manual intervention and loading time.
- It also quickens the evacuation process or the movement of coal from pitheads.
What does the coal logistics policy say?

According to the draft, the policy is aimed at developing a “technologically enabled, integrated, cost-efficient, resilient, sustainable and trusted logistics ecosystem in the country for accelerated and inclusive growth”.
- Optimal infrastructure: In other words, it aims to create an optimal infrastructure for coal transportation at the origin and destination points for quicker transport.
- Integrated evacuation: It also seeks to develop an eco-friendly, multi-modal integrated national coal evacuation infrastructure.
- Dedicated corridors: The other goal is to establish smart coal logistics corridors to ensure complete oversight from the mine to the consumption point.
Why is the government emphasizing on FMC?

There are several missing links in the coal supply chain, which would now be plugged through planned projects.
- FMC is part of the government’s plans to achieve energy security and end import dependence.
- FMC would also lower carbon emissions since it reduces dependence on road transport for evacuation of coal.
Economic significance of FMCs
- Artificial shortages: Last year, India witnessed a power crisis due to a shortage of coal.
- Low availability of railway rakes: Along with the scarcity of domestic coal, the low availability of railway rakes added to the crisis. Post that, the government made efforts to boost the availability of rakes.
- Logistics boost: Noting that power demand is set to increase with growing economic activity, a robust logistics ecosystem for coal has become imperative.
- Last-mile energy connectivity: In addition to first mile connectivity, India is keen to strengthen the last mile as well.
Progress till date
- Under the draft policy, setting up FMC would be made part of the mine allocation process. So, more such projects are set to come up.
- The coal ministry has taken up additional 19 FMC projects for Coal India and Singareni Collieries with a capacity of 330 million tonne per annum (MTPA).
- These projects will be implemented by FY27.
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January 10, 2023

What is Joshimath Crisis?

joshimath

Many families living in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath has shifted to safe places after their homes developed deep cracks, leaving them in a panicked state.

Joshimath Crisis

Joshimath lies on an ancient landslide, resting on a deposit of sand and stone, not rock.
The rivers Alaknanda and Dhauli Ganga play their part in triggering landslides, by eroding the river banks and mountain edges.
It is believed that increased construction activity and growing population have contributed to frequent landslides in the area, the 1976 Mishra Committee Report had pointed out.

What is Land Subsidence?

Land subsidence is when the ground sinks or settles.
It can happen because people are taking too much water or minerals from the ground, which causes the ground to sink.
It can also be caused by natural processes, like soil compaction or the movement of the earth’s crust.
Land subsidence can cause problems like damage to buildings and roads, and can make it more likely for flooding to occur.

Why is it sinking?

Joshimath is a deposit of sand and stone — it is not the main rock — hence it was not suitable for a township.
Vibrations produced by blasting, heavy traffic, etc. has led to a disequilibrium in natural factors.
Lack of proper drainage facilities also leads to landslides.
A lot of water has been percolating down into the porous crystalline rocks beneath the surface, softening them further.
When water is not allowed to flow down its natural course, it creates a lot of pressure, either over the ground, or underneath.
The existence of soak pits, which allow water to slowly soak into the ground, is responsible for the creation of cavities between the soil and the boulders.
This leads to water seepage and soil erosion.

Issues with Joshimath’s town-planning

Overt tourism: The place is now the hub of tourists headed to at least three important shrines — Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib and Shankaracharya temple — as a result of which major infrastructure development has taken place.
Ignoring topography: There are lots of loose soft rocks, moraine (material left behind by retreating glaciers), and sediments. The soil is, therefore, not ideal for large constructions.
Seismically active area: Added to this is the fact that the area falls in a highly seismic zone, and experiences regular tremors, making the top soil unstable.

Preventing a disaster

1976 Mishra Committee Report suggested-

Imposition of restrictions on heavy construction: Construction should only be allowed after examining the load-bearing capacity of the soil and the stability of the site, and restrictions should also be imposed on the excavation of slopes.
Keeping the boulders: In the landslide areas, stones and boulders should not be removed from the bottom of the hill as it would remove toe support, increasing the possibility of landslides.
Sealing of cracks: Cracks which have developed on the slopes should be sealed. The toe of a landslide is its bottom-most point.
Conserving of trees: It has also advised against cutting trees in the landslide zone, and said that extensive plantation work should be undertaken in the area, particularly between Marwari and Joshimath, to conserve soil and water resources.
Agriculture on the slopes must be avoided: Activities like ploughing loosens the soil thereby triggering the scope for landslides.
Preventing water seepage: To prevent any more landslides in the future, the seepage of open rain water must be stopped by the construction of a pucca drainage system.
Cobbled roads: Roads should be metalled and without scuppers, that drain away the water from the road surface.
River training: The construction of structures to guide the river’s flow should be carried out. Hanging boulders on the foothills should be provided with appropriate support.

Way forward

Ensuring safety of people: This should be immediate priority. State government should establish a clear and continuous communication channel with the affected people.
Time-bound reconstruction plan must be prepared.
Continuous seismic monitoring must be done.
A risk sensitive urban development plan for Joshimath should also be developed.

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January 9, 2023

Indian economic growth forecast
Context
- The Indian economy is expected to grow at 7 per cent in 2022-23 as per the first advance estimates of national income released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Friday. This is marginally higher than the RBI’s most recent assessment in the December monetary policy committee meeting, the central bank had lowered its expectation of growth to 6.8 per cent.
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Estimate: Indian economic growth
- As per the latest estimates growth is likely to slow down in later half: Considering that the economy grew by 9.7 per cent in the first half of the financial year (April-September), the latest estimate implies that growth is likely to slow down to 4.5 per cent in the second half of the year (October-March) as the base effect wanes.
- Full year growth estimates India will be fastest growing economy: Notwithstanding that, the full-year growth estimate suggests that India will be one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
Positive signs in the Indian Economy
- Positive medium-term growth prospects: Company and bank balance sheets are healthier, credit growth is rising, and capacity utilisation has increased, all of which augur well for investment activity.
- Positive impact on tourism: The waning of Covid-19 should hopefully have a positive impact on travel, transport and tourism. Construction activity should pick up further with the reduction in housing inventory and almost stable prices over the last decade.
- On inflation India is doing better: On the inflation front, India is doing better than many advanced economies and emerging markets.
Areas of concern
- Private consumption is likely to contract in the second half of the year: While the pace of contraction is expected to be marginal, the slowdown in spending could be due to either the exhaustion of pent-up demand or the lagged impact of a tighter monetary policy.
- Exports growth likely to grow: As per the estimates, exports are likely to grow at almost 12 per cent in the second half of the year. This is at odds with recent data which showed that export growth has actually slowed down considerably as advanced economies have come under pressure.
- Agriculture growth likely to slow down: Agricultural growth is expected to slow down in the second half. As per some analysts this is not in sync with the healthy sowing rates and reservoir levels.
- Manufacturing will go upward: The manufacturing sector, which was almost flat in the first half of the year, is expected to witness an uptick in the second half. It is difficult to reconcile this with the view that both domestic demand and exports are likely to remain subdued, which would in turn impact industrial production.
- Government spending will remain almost flat: Public administration, defence and other services, which largely connotes government spending, is expected to remain more or less flat in the second half. This is odd considering that government consumption expenditure is pegged to grow at 7.2 per cent during the period.
As the data is not yet concrete, estimates made are likely to change
- As the first advance estimates suffer from data limitations, they are based only on seven to eight months of data these are likely to change once more data is available.
- However, they do provide some sense of underlying momentum in economic activities, and are useful in the context of the upcoming Union budget.
- The last budget had assumed a nominal GDP growth of 11.1 per cent. However, as per the latest estimates, nominal GDP is expected to grow at a significantly higher pace of 15.4 per cent.
Conclusion
- Along with trends in tax collections as per which the government’s revenues will surpass budgeted targets by a significant margin, these growth estimates only increase the likelihood of the Centre meeting its budgeted fiscal deficit target for the year.
Mains question

Q. As per the first advance estimates of national income released by the National Statistical Office, Indian economy is expected to grow at 7 per cent in 2022-23. In light of this discuss some of the latest projections and the areas of concern for Indian economic growth.

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January 9, 2023
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR): The silent health catastrophe
Context
- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), often also called antibiotic resistance, is a global health challenge and a looming public health crisis. The WHO has declared it as one of the top 10 health threats facing humanity.
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What is antimicrobial resistance (AMR)?
- AMR is the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some parasites) to stop and survive exposure to an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and may spread to others.
How AMR occurs?
- Improper use of antimicrobials: Antimicrobials, chemicals or molecules that kill harmful bugs, are the backbone of modern medicine. Improperly used antimicrobials create selective pressure on bugs.
- Resilient bugs survive the exposure to antimicrobials: The bugs most vulnerable to the drugs die quickly, while the most resilient ones survive, replicate and become superbugs. AMR occurs when superbugs develop and antimicrobials stop working.
- For example: Microorganisms (bugs) are everywhere with some being helpful like the yoghurt-making lactobacillus and some being harmful like the typhoid-causing salmonella.
What are superbugs?
- Microorganisms that become resistant to most antimicrobials are often referred to as superbugs.
- Superbugs makes medical procedures such as organ transplantation, cancer chemotherapy, and other major surgeries very risky.
Interesting fact
- Research has shown that the use of certain types of antimicrobials in animal feed can lead to the development of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in food-producing animals.
- These resistant bacteria can then be transmitted to humans through the food supply, leading to the spread of AMR.
Prescription to reduce and potentially reverse AMR
- The first prescription is prevention: Disease prevention and wellness are key to public health and thus preventing infections whenever and wherever possible is equivalent to averting resistance. We need to spearhead sanitation drives, ensure a clean water supply and support hospital-driven infection-control programmes.
- Judicious prescription of antimicrobials: Reducing AMR also requires prescribing antimicrobials judiciously and only when they are absolutely needed.
- Effective coordination and management: There is also a need for more cohesion within management strategies. Coordination across the animal industry and environmental sectors to prevent the unnecessary use of antibiotics in farms these nurtures drug-resistant organisms in our food supply is necessary.
- Robust surveillance systems to detect resistant pathogens of all kinds: Other prescription closely connected with prevention is the development of robust surveillance systems that allow us to detect resistant pathogens of all kinds in the environment and hospitals that would eventually allow containment.
- Heavy investment in research and development: There is an urgent need for a strong pipeline of new antibiotics; an essential component in restoring the balance and ensuring that we have new tools in the fight against AMR. Bringing a new antibiotic from basic research through clinical trials takes more than a decade and requires upward of $1 billion. So there is need to invest heavily in research and development through both government and private funding.
- New financial incentives to make it profitable keeping in mind the social value: Profits on these drugs are negligible. Hence, there is need to formulate new types of financial incentives to measure return on investment and measure profitability by the social value of the antibiotic, breaking the conventional link between sales and profits.
- Bringing in the collective moral vision: Last but not least, we need to bring a collective moral vision to AMR and start thinking of antibiotic/antimicrobial drugs as limited resources that should be available to all.
Conclusion
- Although seemingly distant and abstract, AMR is in the air and potentially catastrophic for those burdened by it. The success of modern medicine, women’s health, infectious diseases, surgery and cancer would be at increased risk for lack of working antimicrobials. The cost of AMR to the economy is significant and it is critical to develop policies and implement them through a holistic One Health approach.
Mains question

Q. What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)? Given that AMR is an impending health disaster, discuss what measures can be taken to reduce AMR?

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January 9, 2023
What is New Umbrella Entity (NUE) Network?
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is said to have put on hold licensing of the New Umbrella Entity (NUE) network, a fintech institution planned as a rival to National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

Why in news?
- Six groupings, which included Facebook, Google, Amazon, Flipkart and others, had applied for NUE licences.
What is New Umbrella Entity (NUE)?
- NUE is an entity (under the Companies Act 2013) that will manage and operate the new payment system in the retail sector such as ATMs, POS, UPI etc.
- NUEs will be set up for profit entities that will manage payments in the retail space.
- These could offer a host of retail payment services, including setting up of ATMs, offering white-label, point of sale terminals, Aadhaar-based payments, remittance services, and develop newer payment methods.
- They will also manage clearing and settlement systems that could be an alternative to the bank-promoted NPCI.
- They will be allowed to charge fees for transactions (unlike the existing NPCI).
- All NUEs will have to be interoperable with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
Why need NUEs?
- The NPCI is at the epicentre of the digital payments in the country.
- RBI has introduced NUEs to end the so-called monopoly of NPCI.
- The central bank also noted that during the pandemic, with people spending more time at home the usage of e-commerce has increased, and there’s been a significant rise in the incidence of internet fraud, cyber-crimes.
If NPCI is doing its job well, then why NUE?
- 48% of all electronic retail payments in the country pass through the NPCI infrastructure.
- RBI’s concern stems from having the operations of so much of the country’s payment system concentrated in one entity.
How will NUE aid Consumers?
- With the introduction of NUEs, options for payment will increase for users.
- This will result in more competition and eventually help boost transaction volumes for both platforms as e-commerce expands and reaches deeper into India’s unbanked hinterland.
- In the World Bank’s most recent report on financial inclusion in 2017, some 190 million Indians did not have a bank account and more than half did not make or receive digital payments.
- Customers who face frequent sever transaction due to server overload currently have few options.
- In the new regime, they’ll be able to try the other platform.
What about Data Safety?
- Compliance as far as data safety and privacy is concerned holds good for all and sundry in the payments and banking space.
- Every entity involved in payments and settlement have to follow the same set of rules.
- RBI already have a new set of guidelines on “Regulation of Payment Aggregators and Payment Gateways” .
- It ensures that neither the authorised Payment Aggregators (PAs) nor the merchants on-boarded by them can store customer card credentials within their database or server to avoid data breaches and potential abuse.
Will NUEs replace NPCI?
- NUEs will co-exist with NPCI to strengthen the payment infrastructure network.
- A robust and resilient infrastructure is needed to ensure the government’s ambitious target of one billion digital transactions per day is achieved.
- NUEs will not replace but complement NPCI in taking India’s digital payment success story to new heights.
- By establishing a neutral and independent standards-setting body, we can make sure that the system as a whole in our country evolves in the best traditions of digital infrastructure adopted anywhere in the world.
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January 9, 2023
Superconductivity in Mercury
This newscard is an excerpt from the original article published in TH.

What is a superconductor?
- A superconductor is defined as a substance that offers no resistance to the electric current when it becomes colder than a critical temperature.
- Some of the popular examples of superconductors are aluminium, magnesium diboride, niobium, copper oxide, yttrium barium and iron pnictides.
How mercury becomes superconductor?
- In 1911, Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered superconductivity in mercury.
- He found that at a very low temperature, called the threshold temperature, solid mercury offers no resistance to the flow of electric current.
How is mercury capable of achieving superconductivity?

Ans. Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory
- Scientists classified mercury as a conventional superconductor because its superconductivity could be explained by the concepts of Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory.
- While scientists have used the BCS theory to explain superconductivity in various materials, they have never fully understood how it operates in mercury — the oldest superconductor.
- The researchers used state-of-the-art theoretical and computational approaches and found that all physical properties relevant for conventional superconductivity are anomalous in some respect in mercury.
How BCS explains it?
- In BCS superconductors, vibrational energy released by the grid of atoms encourages electrons to pair up, forming so-called Cooper pairs.
- These Copper pairs can move like water in a stream, facing no resistance to their flow, below a threshold temperature.
- By including certain factors that physicists had previously side-lined, the group’s calculations led to a clearer picture of how superconductivity emerges in mercury.
- For example, when the researchers accounted for the relationship between an electron’s spin and momentum, they could explain why mercury has such a low threshold temperature (around –270°C).
Coulomb repulsion and Mercury
- Similarly, the group found that one electron in each pair in mercury occupied a higher energy level than the other.
- This detail reportedly lowered the Coulomb repulsion (like charges repel) between them and nurtured superconductivity.
- Thus, the group has explained how mercury becomes a superconductor below its threshold temperature.
- Their methods and findings suggest that we could have missed similar anomalous effects in other materials, leading to previously undiscovered ones that can be exploited for new and better real-world applications.
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January 9, 2023
RBI to issue first-ever Sovereign Green Bonds
The RBI would issue Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs) in two tranches of ₹8,000 crore each on January 25 and February 9.

What are Sovereign Green Bonds?
- A bond is an instrument to raise debt.
- Since 2007, a market for bonds specifically self-labelled or designated as ‘green’ has emerged.
- This label differentiates a green bond from a regular bond, which signifies a commitment to exclusively use funds raised to finance or re-finance “green” projects, assets, or business activities.
- When these bonds carry guarantees related to the repayment of principal and payment of interest by the sovereign or the government, they are called sovereign green bonds (SGrB).
How are the projects for green bonds selected?
- A project is classified “green” on the basis of four key principles. These include-
1. Encouraging energy efficiency in resource utilisation
2. Reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases
3. Promoting climate resilience and
4. Improving natural ecosystems and biodiversity, especially in accordance with SDG (Sustainable Development Goals).
When is the first sovereign green bond likely to be issued?
- In her Budget speech early this year, Finance Minister announced that sovereign green bonds will be issued for mobilising resources for green infrastructure.
- The proceeds will be deployed in public sector projects that help in reducing the carbon intensity of the economy.
- These green bonds would be available in 5-year and 10-year tenure.
How are they different from conventional government bonds?
- Government bonds or government securities (G-Secs) are normally categorised into two — Treasury Bills and dated or long-term securities.
- These bonds carry coupon rates and are tradable in the securities market.
- SGrB is one form of dated security. It will have a tenor and interest rate.
- Money raised through SGrB is part of overall government borrowing.
Who are likely to be the buyers of these bonds?
- Both domestic and international investors are expected to be interested in SGrB.
- However, one thinking is foreign investors may be slightly hesitant due to currency risk.
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January 7, 2023
Kuki-Chin Refugees Issue
As another round of refugee crisis brews on the Mizoram-Bangladesh border, several members of the Kuki-Chin community were “pushed back” by the Border Security Force (BSF).

Who are the Kuki Chins?
- The Chins of Myanmar, the Mizos of Mizoram and the Kukis of Bangladesh are of the same ancestry and belong to the Kuki ethnic group native to the Mizo hills.
- They are collectively called the Zo people.
- The Kuki Chin people are settled in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the only extensive hill area in Bangladesh that lies in the southeastern part of the country.
- It borders Myanmar on the southeast, Tripura on the north, Mizoram on the east and the Chittagong district in the west.
- Mizoram shares a 318-km stretch of international border with Bangladesh.
Why are they fleeing to Mizoram?
- Already, since 2021, around 30,000 Kuki Chin refugees from Myanmar have sought shelter in Mizoram.
- They have been escaping the crackdown by the military junta in Myanmar and identity-loss in Bangladesh.
Roots of their insurgency
- The roots of Kuki militancy lie in conflicts of ethnic identity.
- First was the demand for self-determination solely for groups belonging to their ethnic fabric, meaning the dream to form a Kukiland.
- The second reason for insurgency lies in the inter-community conflicts between the Kukis and the Nagas in Manipur.
- The Kuki-Naga conflict was started over securing identity and land as some Kuki-inhabited areas coincided with Naga-inhabited areas.
- Wanting to dominate trade and cultural activities in those areas the two communities often engaged in violent standoffs, with villages being torched, civilians killed and so on.
What is India’s Stand?
- The authorities are prepared to handle the inflow.
- India would be extending help and shelter to the refugees coming in from Bangladesh on humanitarian ground.
- A meeting of the Mizoram Cabinet decided to provide temporary shelter, food and medicine to the refugees who have already crossed over.
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January 7, 2023
Underwater combat drones: Indian Navy’s readiness
Context
- India is on a drive to induct unmanned combat systems into the military. Months after the Indian Army announced the induction of swarm drones into its mechanized forces, the Navy chief, Admiral R Hari Kumar, reiterated the importance of autonomous systems in creating a future-proof Indian Navy (IN).
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Indian Navy’s expanding surveillance and reasons for doing so
- The IN, indeed, has been on a mission to expand surveillance in India’s near-seas: Two years after it leased MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones from the US, the navy, in July 2022, released an unclassified version of its unmanned roadmap for the induction of remote autonomous platforms including undersea vehicles.
- Maritime deterrence in the Eastern Indian Ocean: A key driver for the enterprise is underwater domain awareness, deemed an increasingly vital component of maritime deterrence in the Eastern Indian Ocean.
- Chinas undersea presence in the Indian ocean: In the aftermath of the conflict in Ladakh in June 2020, there is a growing sense among Indian experts and military planners that China’s undersea presence in the Indian Ocean is on the cusp of crossing a critical threshold.
- Recent reports of sighting of Chinese drones in the waters of Indonesia: Recent reports of the sighting of Chinese drones in the waters off Indonesian islands suggest the Peoples Liberation Army Navy has been studying the operating environment of the Indian Ocean.
- China already deployed vessels around Andaman in the name of research: Already, there has been a rise in the deployment of Chinese research and survey vessels in the waters around India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Recognizing the threat, Indian Navy sought acquire to own AUV: Ever more alive to the dangers posed by foreign undersea presence in Indian waters, the IN sought to acquire its own autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) with twin surveillance and strike capabilities.
Analysis: The navy’s interest in armed underwater drones
- Underwater vehicles never viewed as warfighting assets: Despite being widely used in underwater search and exploration, underwater vehicles have never quite been viewed as warfighting assets by India’s military establishment.
- Never sought deploying underwater drones in combat roles: Notwithstanding the AUVs’ utility in tasks such as mine detection and ship survey, India’s naval planners have traditionally desisted from deploying undersea drones in a combat role.
- Acknowledging war fighting capabilities and need of the hour: Indian analysts and decision-makers seem to be belatedly acknowledging the warfighting abilities of underwater autonomous platforms powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
- Getting ready for the new era warfare: With the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) shaping a new era in warfare, Indian observers are beginning to recognise the likely impact of disruptive technologies on the maritime domain. AI powered by deep learning, data analytics, and cloud computing, many say, is poised to alter the maritime battlefront, potentially triggering a revolution in naval affairs in India.
Challenges to harness the disruptive technologies in maritime combat
- Ethical paradox: There is an ethical paradox that typifies artificially intelligent combat systems.
- Imported AI tech algorithms cannot be under user control: Despite rendering warfare more deadly, AI compromises the control, safety, and accountability of weapon systems it also enhances the risk of shared liability between networked systems, particularly when weapon algorithms are sourced from abroad, and when the satellite and link systems that enable combat solutions are not under the control of the user.
- Predisposition of data in AI can undermine the decision making: AI is characterised by a predisposition to certain kinds of data. Biases in the collection of data, in the set of instructions for data analysis, and in the selection of probabilistic outcomes muddle rational decision-making, undermining confidence in automated combat solutions.
- The doctrinal paradox is equally troubling: There is no easy way of incorporating AI-fuelled warfighting approaches into doctrine, particularly when many technologies are in a nascent stage of development, and there is little clarity about how effective AI could be in combat.
- Capacity limitation that restricts the development of AI: While technology absorption in the navy has matured in certain areas over a period of time, a large gap still exists in the development of critical technologies, which are system engineering, airborne and underwater sensors, weapon systems, and hi-tech components.
The critics of AI in warfare
- Technology without comprehensive testing is risky: That fielding nascent technologies without comprehensive testing puts both military personnel and civilians at risk.
- Probabilistic assessment by computers not always provide optimal solution: A system of targeting human beings based on probabilistic assessments by computers that act merely on machine-learned experiences, is problematic because the computer neither has access to all relevant data to make an informed decision nor recognizes that it needs more information to come up with an optimal solution.
- Shaping policy to account for AI is challenging: That is because military doctrine is premised on a traditional understanding of conflict. If war is a normative construct, then there are rules and codes to be followed, and ethical standards to be met.
- AI could be inconsistent with the laws of war: What is more, AI seemingly automates weapon systems in ways that are inconsistent with the laws of war.
Legality issues of underwater combat drones
- Status by UNCLOS is not yet clear: It is not yet clear if unmanned maritime systems enjoy the status of ships under the UN convention of the laws of the sea; even if they do, it is unlikely that they can be classified as warships.
Way ahead
- Notwithstanding the announcement of multiple AI projects, the navy remains focused on using AI in noncombat activities such as training, logistics, inventory management, maritime domain awareness, and predictive maintenance.
- India’s maritime managers recognize that the IN is still at a place on its evolutionary curve where incorporating AI in combat systems could prove risky. An incremental approach, many believe, is the best way forward.
Conclusion
- It is worth acknowledging that AI in warfare is not just a matter of combat effectiveness but also of warfighting ethics. AI-infused unmanned systems on the maritime battlefront pose a degree of danger, making it incumbent upon the military to deploy its assets in ways that are consistent with national and international law. India’s naval leadership would do well if it takes careful and calculated steps in developing AI-powered underwater systems.
January 6, 2023
Green Hydrogen Mission: India in the right bus in the right direction
Context
- As countries work on reducing their dependence on fossil fuels due to climate change considerations, a race is currently on to secure the energy sources of the future. Green hydrogen, produced through a clean process, is rightly seen as the most dependable source of energy of the future.
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Highlights: India’s efforts towards clean energy transition and the challenges
- Seasonality challenge for solar and Wind energy: Solar and wind energy have almost been tamed, but their intermittency and seasonality continue to be a challenge.
- High cost of nuclear energy: The Nuclear energy has been in use for several decades now, but its cost remains a constraint.
- Electric vehicles are still not convenient: Even though electric vehicles are fast gaining in popularity, the convenience of petrol or diesel is still missing.
- The government approval to the National Green Hydrogen Mission: recently government approved National green hydrogen Mission a keenly-awaited decision. The nearly Rs 20,000 crore mission is aimed at building domestic capabilities in developing technologies to produce hydrogen, an element that is readily available in nature but never alone, because of which it requires segregation.
What is Green Hydrogen?
- Clean and no harmful gas emission: The Green hydrogen is the one produced with no harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
- Produced by electrolysis of water: It is made by using clean electricity from surplus renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power, to electrolyse water. Electrolysers use an electrochemical reaction to split water into its components of hydrogen and oxygen, emitting zero-carbon dioxide in the process.
- Energy intensive process: It is an energy-intensive process for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable power to achieve this.
Analysis: Green Hydrogen most dependable source of energy of the future
- Energy of the future: The Green hydrogen, produced through a clean process, is rightly seen as the most dependable source of energy of the future.
- Fuel for vehicles or to generate electricity: It can be used to generate electricity or as fuel in industries or vehicles.
- Not yet cost effective: Even though the technology to produce hydrogen in an emission-free manner is not yet mature or cost-effective, it features prominently in several countries’ strategies to achieve net-zero emission status by the middle of this century.
- Production is expensive: The green hydrogen currently makes up a small percentage of the overall hydrogen, because production is expensive. The current cost of green hydrogen in India is ₹300 to ₹400 per kg.
Late entry in Solar energy: a lesson to be remembered
- Green hydrogen is still in a nascent stage: Efforts to harness the energy of hydrogen in a clean and affordable manner have been stepped up significantly in the last few years. In many ways, green hydrogen is where solar energy was 10-12 years ago.
- Technology was available but not economical: The technology to harness the energy was available, but wasn’t economical. Then, dramatically, in a period of less than five years, a combination of technology improvement and massive demand in countries like China saw the prices of solar photovoltaic cells come down by 80-90 per cent, suddenly making solar energy an extremely attractive proposition.
- India’s entry in solar revolution was a little late: India joined the solar revolution a little late, after the prices had come down. And while India is now one of the biggest players in solar energy, most of the raw materials and components are imported.
- The big concern: There are already concerns that inability to develop domestic capabilities in solar manufacturing will only result in India moving from one kind of dependency oil imports to another.
National hydrogen mission: India’s efforts in right direction
- Early entry in Hydrogen energy: With the hydrogen mission, India is making a relatively early entry into a still nascent technology domain.
- Emphasis on developing domestic manufacturing capabilities: It is reassuring to see that the bulk of the financial allocation for the mission is geared towards developing domestic manufacturing of electrolysers, the equipment in which hydrogen is separated from water molecules, and the production of hydrogen.
- Allocation of funds for R&D, a move in right direction: A substantial part of the money has been earmarked for R&D activities with the aim of developing globally competitive technologies.
Conclusion
- With the much-needed hydrogen mission, India is making a relatively early entry into a still nascent technology domain. It is important not to miss the bus like the solar revolution this time. For now, the government seems to be moving in the right direction.
January 6, 2023