UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 3 : Earth’s magnetosphere, SMILE mission, and climate-smart agriculture (Week 155)

QUESTION 2

“The future of Indian agriculture lies in low-input and water-efficient crops.” How can the promotion of millets contribute to achieving the objectives of climate-smart agriculture in India?

QUESTION 1: Discuss the role of Earth’s magnetosphere in protecting life and critical infrastructure from solar activity. In this context, examine the significance of the SMILE mission for understanding space weather.

Relevance: This question is important for GS 3 because UPSC increasingly focuses on space technology, disaster management, and critical infrastructure security. It links space science with communication systems, satellites, power grids, and national preparedness against solar storms.

Note: This is not a model UPSC answer. It only provides you with a thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— The Sun constantly emits different types of matter, magnetic fields, energy, and plasma into space. Solar flares, solar storms, and coronal mass ejections are some of the most dangerous solar ejections, as they are all extremely powerful and can disrupt space weather.

— The Earth’s magnetosphere serves as a vital, invisible shield against harmful solar radiation and plasma ejections. By deflecting the solar wind—a steady stream of charged particles flowing at millions of miles per hour—it keeps our atmosphere from being stripped away, allowing life to exist on Earth.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

Role of Earth’s magnetosphere in sustaining life and safeguarding critical infrastructure

— Earth remains largely protected from these ejections thanks to the magnetic field that blankets it, called the magnetosphere. In our solar system, Earth has one of the strongest magnetospheres. It is a vast, comet-shaped bubble that continuously shields the planet from harmful solar and cosmic particle radiation.

— It is the magnetosphere that makes it possible for life to form, exist and sustain on Earth. It also acts as a shield, preventing the Earth’s atmosphere from being eroded due to the incoming solar winds. The magnetosphere thus adapts and reacts to the solar, planetary and interstellar conditions, which manifest in space weather from time to time.

— For instance, Chinese and European space agencies are sending a joint mission to study the Earth’s defences against the Sun. The Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission will, in real-time, be able to capture X-ray images of how the Earth’s magnetosphere instinctively reacts and protects the Earth from numerous incoming solar emissions and charged particles. Unlike previous missions, it will also get a full view of the interactions happening in the magnetosphere.

— SMILE is designed to get answers to what happens when a stream of solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetic shield and the magnetic glitches occurring on the dark side of Earth. It will help solar physicists better understand space weather. It will also help physicists forecast any impending solar storm or likely perturbations to space weather. This is vital for the safety of our space-based assets, like satellites and satellite-based communication, GPS, navigation systems and airline operations, as well as uninterrupted operations of space stations and astronaut safety.

Conclusion:

— The four onboard instruments will operate both on X-ray and ultraviolet wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. ESA has developed the Soft X-ray Imager (SXI), whereas the Chinese team has developed the other three payloads — Magnetometer, Light Ion Analyser (LIA) and Ultraviolet aurora Imager (UVI).

(Source: How does the Earth protect itself from the Sun? A joint Chinese-European mission aims to find out, science.nasa.gov)

Points to Ponder

Why are solar storms emerging as a major challenge for modern economies dependent on satellites and digital infrastructure?

How can India utilise missions of the Indian Space Research Organisation to improve resilience against space-weather threats?

Related Previous Year Question

Discuss India’s achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How the application of this technology helped India in its socio-economic development? (2016)

QUESTION 2: “The future of Indian agriculture lies in low-input and water-efficient crops.” How can the promotion of millets contribute to achieving the objectives of climate-smart agriculture in India?

Relevance: This question is relevant for GS 3 as UPSC can ask about sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, food security, and cropping patterns. Millets combine themes of water conservation, low-input farming, farmer sustainability, and climate adaptation. It also reflects current policy discussions on crop diversification amid monsoon uncertainty and rising fertiliser costs.

Note: This is not a model UPSC answer. It only provides you with a thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— Climate change and increased input costs are becoming more significant challenges for Indian agriculture. In this setting, low-input and water-efficient crops like millets are gaining popularity as alternatives to resource-intensive crops.

— Promoting millets in India aligns with the fundamental goals of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA): increasing climate resilience, reducing carbon and water footprints, and providing food and nutritional security.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

How millets contribute to climate-smart agriculture?

— Millets require far less irrigation than crops like cotton and paddy. According to the findings, bajra requires only 1-2 irrigations, whereas cotton requires 5-7. This makes millets suitable for drought-prone and water-stressed areas.

— Millets require less fertiliser and pesticides. Bajra farming requires less fertilisers and pesticide sprays than cotton or maize. At a time when geopolitical tensions and the Iran crisis have delayed fertiliser supply and escalated prices, millets provide farmers with a more sustainable alternative.

— Millets serve as a biological insurance policy for farmers in risky agroclimatic zones. When other crops fail due to delayed monsoons, millets can still generate sustainable yields. For example, Rajasthan is the country’s top producer of pearl millet (Bajra). Promoting this crop in the state’s arid, sandy soils maximises the use of limited rainfall, transforming otherwise marginal lands into productive agricultural assets without the need for extensive irrigation canals.

— Including millets in meals helps address widespread malnutrition and lifestyle diseases in rural and urban India.

— Millets mature quickly and allow for several cropping cycles. According to the report, growing bajra allows farmers to later grow mustard and summer moong, enhancing land-use efficiency and agricultural profitability.

Conclusion:

— The future of Indian agriculture lies in cultivating robust, low-input, and water-efficient crops that can tolerate climatic and economic uncertainty. Millets can play an important role in climate-smart agriculture by reducing resource dependence, increasing sustainability, and promoting farmer adaptation.

(Source: Why Iran war, monsoon worries could make 2026 India’s Year of Millets)

Points to Ponder

How do millets help address the challenges of water scarcity and climate change?

What policy measures are necessary to promote millet cultivation and climate-smart farming in India?

Related Previous Year Questions

Explain the factors influencing the decision of the farmers on the selection of high value crops in India. (2025)

Explain the role of millets for ensuring health and nutritional security in India. (2024)

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Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 154)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 153)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 154)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 153)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 154)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 153)

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