Why in the News?
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the formation of Cyclone Shakthi (named by Sri Lanka) over the northeast Arabian Sea.
About Cyclogenesis in the Arabian Sea:
- Overview: Cyclogenesis is the formation and intensification of tropical cyclones under favourable oceanic and atmospheric conditions.
- Seasonality: Most active during pre-monsoon (Apr–Jun) and post-monsoon (Oct–Dec) periods, when sea surface temperatures (SSTs) exceed 27 °C, moist convection intensifies, and the Coriolis effect induces rotation.
- Formation Process: Warm moist air rises forming low pressure; latent heat of condensation deepens the system; upper-level outflow and low vertical wind shear sustain vertical growth, producing a warm eye with spiral rainbands.
- Historical Pattern: The Arabian Sea was once less cyclone-prone than the Bay of Bengal due to cooler waters, dry winds, and high wind shear. Limited basin size and monsoon winds restricted cyclone growth.
- Recent Change: Ocean warming and climate change have sharply increased cyclonic activity, making the region far more active in the last decade.
- Rapid Intensification Trend: Short-term surges in wind speed (< 24 hrs) are now common, linked to warmer SSTs, Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) shifts, and monsoon wind variability.
- Oceanic–Climatic Drivers:
- Indonesian Throughflow imports warm Pacific waters, raising SSTs.
- Southern Ocean inflow brings cooler deep water, stabilising lower layers.
- Dual cyclone seasons arise from monsoon wind reversal unique to the region.
- Climate Change Impact:
- IMD data show a 52 % rise in Arabian Sea cyclones in two decades, while Bay of Bengal activity slightly declined.
- The Indian Ocean is among the fastest-warming oceans, increasing heat-moisture availability, altering global weather, and heightening coastal risks to life and infrastructure.
Recent Examples:
- Tauktae (2021) – winds > 185 km/h, heavy damage along Gujarat–Konkan.
- Biparjoy (2023) – lasted 13 days, fed by SSTs ~31 °C.
- Tej (2023) – hit Oman & Yemen, showing cross-basin movement.
- Shakthi (2025) – latest late-season, fast-intensifying cyclone.
Back2Basics: Tropical Cyclones
- What is it: Large low-pressure systems over warm oceans, marked by rotating winds, heavy rain, and storm surges.
- Conditions: Form when ocean temps >27°C, with moist rising air releasing latent heat to fuel convection.
- Rotation: Driven by the Coriolis force – anticlockwise in Northern Hemisphere, clockwise in Southern.
- Structure: Eye (calm), Eyewall (violent winds/rains), Rainbands (widespread showers).
- Regional Names: Typhoons (Pacific), Hurricanes (Atlantic/Caribbean), Cyclones (Indian Ocean).
- Drivers & Frequency: Common in Southeast Asia due to warm Pacific waters, El Niño/La Niña cycles, and climate change.
- Impacts: Loss of life, property damage, flooding, soil salinisation, displacement, and disease outbreaks.
- Climate Change Link: Global warming is making tropical cyclones stronger, less predictable, and more frequent, raising risks for coastal populations.
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| [UPSC 2020] Consider the following statements:
1. Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.
2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.
3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10°C lesser than that of the surroundings.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only* (c) 2 only (d) 1 and 3 only |
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Why in the News?
India’s only mud volcano at Baratang Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands erupted after remaining dormant for over two decades.
Note: The Barren Island has erupted recently.
- India’s only active lava volcano, located about 140 km from Port Blair.
- Lies at the junction of the Indian and Burmese tectonic plates.
- Eruption history: 1787 (first recorded), followed by episodes in 1991, 2005, 2017, November 2022, and September 2025.
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About the Baratang Mud Volcano:
- Location: Baratang Island, around 100–150 km north of Port Blair, situated in the North and Middle Andaman district.
- Uniqueness: It is India’s only collection of mud volcanoes — 11 in total across the archipelago, 8 of which are on Baratang and Middle Andaman.
- Eruptions: Significant eruptions were last reported in 2005; the 2025 eruption marks the first major event in 20 years.
- Composition & Nature:
- Emits cool mud, water, and gases (methane, hydrogen sulfide) rather than lava or fire.
- Creates mud cones, bubbling pools, or dried crater-like formations.
- Eruptions are low in intensity, involving slow oozing and gas bubbling rather than violent explosions.
- Accessibility: A short 160-metre walk from the nearest road; the site lies near the Jarawa Tribal Reserve, where photography is prohibited for ethical and legal reasons.
Geological Formation and Features:
- Tectonic Setting: Formed due to subduction of the Indian Plate beneath the Burmese Plate, leading to gas and fluid release from deep layers.
- Mechanism:
- Decomposition of organic matter underground produces gas pressure that pushes mud upwards.
- These gases, along with water and sediments, escape to the surface, creating muddy eruptions and bubbling vents.
- Temperature & Composition:
- The expelled material is cool, unlike magmatic volcanoes.
- Contains saline water, organic sediments, and gases, giving it a distinctive odour and appearance.
- Earth Processes: The phenomenon helps scientists study fluid migration, methane emissions, and crustal deformation in active subduction zones.
| [UPSC 2018] Consider the following statements:
1.The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.
2.Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.
3.The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 (c) 3 only (d) 1 and 3* |
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Why in the News?
Major Indian private sector corporations expressed formal interest in setting up Small Modular Reactor (SMR)-based nuclear projects as part of the ‘Bharat Small Modular Reactors (BSMR)’ programme.
What is the Bharat Small Modular Reactors (BSMR) Programme?
- Overview: India’s flagship nuclear programme, led by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
- Reactor Models:
- BSMR-200 – 200 MWe Pressurized Water Reactor with passive safety.
- BSR-220 – PHWR-based small reactor.
- SMR-55 – 55 MWe PWR for captive or remote use.
- Implementation: NPCIL retains ownership and operational control, while private companies fund and use generated power for captive needs. About 16 potential sites identified across Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.
- Policy & Financing: ₹20,000 crore allocated under the Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat (2025-26) to operationalise five SMRs by 2033.
- Private sector interest: Includes Reliance Industries, Tata Power, Adani Power, JSW Energy, Hindalco, and Jindal Steel & Power.
- Reforms & Impact: Amendments to the Atomic Energy Act (1962) and Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (2010) are proposed to facilitate investment and technology sharing.
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About Small Modular Reactors (SMRs):
- Concept: SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors generating up to 300 Megawatt electric (MWe) each — about one-third the size of conventional reactors. They are “modular”, meaning major components are factory-fabricated, transported, and assembled on-site, cutting cost and construction time.
- Working Principle: Operate on nuclear fission (splitting Uranium-235 atoms) to produce heat that converts water into steam for turbines. Most use the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) design with passive safety systems that cool the reactor without human intervention.
- Distinct Features:
- Compact and Scalable – suitable for remote or repurposed sites.
- Factory-built – ensures quality and quicker rollout.
- Safer Design – smaller radioactive inventory, underground containment.
- Flexible Use – can supply electricity, industrial heat, desalination, or hydrogen.
- Global Examples:
- Akademik Lomonosov (Russia) – world’s first floating SMR (70 MWe, 2020).
- HTR-PM (China) – high-temperature gas-cooled SMR (2023).
- Key developers: Rolls-Royce (UK), NuScale (US), GE-Hitachi, Westinghouse (AP-300).
| [UPSC 2012] To meet its rapidly growing energy demand, some opine that India should pursue research and development on thorium as the future fuel of nuclear energy. In this context, what advantage does thorium hold over uranium?
1. Thorium is far more abundant in nature than uranium. 2. On the basis of per unit mass of mined mineral, thorium can generate more energy compared to natural uranium. 3. Thorium produces less harmful waste compared to uranium.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 * |
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Why in the News?
Arunachal Pradesh has launched its first commercial coal mine at the Namchik-Namphuk coal block in Changlang district.
About the Namchik–Namphuk Coal Mine:
- Overview: Located in Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh, is the state’s first commercial coal mine, situated near the Indo-Myanmar border.
- Reserves & Quality: Holds ~15 million tonnes of lignite/sub-bituminous coal, primarily for thermal power and industrial use.
- Operator & Allocation: Operated by Coal Pulz Private Limited (CPPL), allotted through a transparent auction in 2022, project first allocated in 2003 but stalled due to environmental and administrative delays.
- Production & Revenue: Initial capacity of 0.2 million tonnes per annum, expected to generate ₹100 crore annually for the state government.
- National Context: Marks Arunachal Pradesh’s entry into India’s coal-producing map as the country crosses 1 billion tonnes output (FY 2024-25).
- Policy Alignment: Supports the EAST Vision (Empower, Act, Strengthen, Transform) for North-Eastern development.
Significance:
- Legal Mining: Ends decades of illegal mining through regulated, community-driven extraction.
- Sustainable Development: Part of Mission Green Coal Regions, targeting 73,000 ha of land reclamation by 2030, embedding ecological restoration into mining.
| [UPSC 2008] In which one of the following states are Namchik-Namphuk Coalfields located?
Options: (a) Arunachal Pradesh* (b) Meghalaya (c) Manipur (d) Mizoram |
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Why in the News?
Poland announced its long-awaited entry into the NATO Pipeline System (NPS) — a strategic move coming 25 years after joining NATO.
About the NATO Pipeline System (NPS):
- Origin: 1950s, Cold War-era logistics backbone, upgraded over decades.
- Purpose: Ensures continuous supply of aviation fuel, diesel, kerosene & lubricants to NATO forces.
- Scale: ~10,000 km network across 12 NATO countries; storage ≈ 4.1 million m³.
- Structure: Connects refineries, depots, airbases, airports & pumping stations.
- Funding & Oversight: Through NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP); managed by NATO Support & Procurement Agency (NSPA) under the NATO Petroleum Committee.
- Member Countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, UK, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Norway and Denmark; Poland will become the 13th member after integration.
- Main System: Central Europe Pipeline System (CEPS) – 5,300 km, est. 1958; moves ≈ 12 million m³ fuel/yr.
- Other Networks: North European, Turkish, Greek, Portuguese, Italian, Norwegian & Danish systems.
| [UPSC 2025] Consider the following countries:
I. Austria II. Bulgaria III. Croatia IV. Serbia V. Sweden VI. North Macedonia.
How many of the above are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization?
(a) Only three (b) Only four* (c) Only five (d) All the six |
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Why in the News?
Exercise KONKAN-25 has commenced off the western coast of India, marking two decades of India–UK maritime cooperation.
About Exercise KONKAN:
- Nature & Objective: Exercise KONKAN is an annual bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.
- Objective: To strengthen interoperability, joint maritime operations, and mutual understanding.
- Origin: Initiated in 2004, the exercise has expanded into a multi-domain naval engagement involving surface, sub-surface, and aerial warfare.
- Venue Rotation: Conducted alternately in Indian and UK waters, it symbolises the long-standing India–UK strategic defence partnership.
- Vision: It aligns with the India–UK Vision 2035, promoting free, open, and rules-based seas across the Indo-Pacific.
Key Features:
- Two-Phase Format:
- Harbour Phase – Professional interactions, cross-deck visits, sports & cultural events, subject-matter expert exchanges, and working group meetings.
- Sea Phase – Complex operational drills including anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare, flying operations, seamanship drills, and live-fire gunnery.
- Major Participants (2025):
- India – Carrier Battle Group led by INS Vikrant, supported by destroyers, frigates, submarines, and naval air assets.
- United Kingdom – Carrier Strike Group 25 (CSG-25) led by HMS Prince of Wales, joined by allies Norway (HNoMS Roald Amundsen) and Japan (JS Akebono).
- Special Highlight: First-ever carrier strike group collaboration between India and the UK, marking a new milestone in joint naval power projection.
| [UPSC 2024] Which of the following statements about ‘Exercise Mitra Shakti-2023’ are correct?
1. This was a joint military exercise between India and Bangladesh.
2. It commenced in Aundh (Pune).
3. Joint response during counter-terrorism operations was a goal of this operation.
4. Indian Air Force was a part of this exercise.
Select the answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 4 (c) 1 and 4 (d) 2, 3 and 4* |
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