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UPSC Key: National Camel Mission, Landslides in Darjeeling, and Mission Sudarshan Chakra

Why is the Centre’s plan to launch the National Camel Sustainability Initiative (NCSI) important for your UPSC exam? What significance do topics such as the landslides in Darjeeling, Sir Creek, and India’s SMR ambitions have for both the Preliminary and Main exams? You can learn more by reading the Indian Express UPSC Key for October 6, 2025.

upsc, national camel mission,According to the 20th Livestock Census, India’s camel population stood at 2.52 lakh in 2019, down from about 11 lakh in 1977 and 4 lakh in 2013. Know more in our UPSC Key. (Reuters File photo)

Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for October 6, 2025. If you missed the October 5, 2025, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here.

GOVT & POLITICS

Govt plans mission to reverse falling camel count

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story: The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is planning to launch the National Camel Sustainability Initiative (NCSI) — a national mission aimed at reversing the steady decline in India’s camel population.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are the reasons for the rapid decline of India’s camel population?

— What is the National Livestock Mission (NLM)?

— When is World Camel Day celebrated?

— What is the cultural and economic significance of Camels?

— What are the threats faced by Camels?

Key Takeaways:

— The proposal has been outlined in a draft policy paper prepared in consultation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which was circulated on September 29 for public comments.

— “To reverse the rapid decline of India’s camel population and restore its economic and ecological significance, a multi-dimensional strategy is essential,” the draft notes.

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— The NCSI, as envisioned, would bring together the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, the Ministries of Environment, Rural Development and Tourism, and State governments, to ensure coordinated action.

— The paper highlights that India is witnessing a rapid and alarming decline in its camel population, especially in the traditionally camel-rearing states of Rajasthan and Gujarat.

— According to the 20th Livestock Census, India’s camel population stood at 2.52 lakh in 2019, down from about 11 lakh in 1977 and 4 lakh in 2013. Nearly 90% of these camels are concentrated in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

— “Camels do not receive focused attention under India’s mainstream livestock development programmes, which typically prioritise cattle, buffaloes, poultry, and small ruminants,” the paper notes.

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— Although the National Livestock Mission (NLM) includes camels among its supported species, its implementation has remained limited to scattered breeding and small-scale entrepreneurship efforts.

— It proposes a review of the Rajasthan Camel Act to “balance conservation with livelihood rights,” and calls for safe, traceable inter-state trade mechanisms, supported by better transport infrastructure and e-market platforms.

— Additionally, it suggests a national camel awareness and education campaign, urging that camel-related themes be integrated into school textbooks, public campaigns, and rural fairs, and that World Camel Day (June 22) be celebrated nationwide to promote camel culture, conservation, and innovation.

Do You Know:

— The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, is implementing the National Livestock Mission (NLM) since 2021.The scheme is being implemented across the country.

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— Under the entrepreneurship component of the scheme, NLM-Entrepreneurship Development Programme (NLM-EDP), a 50% capital subsidy, up to ₹50 lakh, is provided for the establishment of poultry, sheep, goat, pig, horse, camel, and donkey breeding farms, as well as feed and fodder units.

— The objective of the National Livestock Mission (NLM) scheme is to increase the per animal productivity, genetic improvement and availability of quality feed and fodder.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Decline in India’s camel population is worrying

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) What is/are unique about ‘Kharai camel’, a breed found in India? (UPSC CSE 2016)

1. It is capable of swimming up to three kilometres in seawater.

2. It survives by grazing on mangroves.

3. It lives in the wild and cannot be domesticated.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

 

FRONT

Landslides in Darjeeling hills, 20 dead

Syllabus:

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Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Disaster and disaster management

What’s the ongoing story: At least 20 people have been killed and scores are missing after heavy rainfall lashed the Himalayan region of West Bengal on Saturday night, triggering large-scale landslides in the districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong. Parts of the Terai region of the state also witnessed flooding as the water level rose in the rivers.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are landslides?

— What causes landslides?

— How are landslides classified?

— How prone is India to landslides?

— What is the impact of landslides on infrastructure and human lives?

— How did cloudbursts lead to landslides?

— What is the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)?

— What are the steps taken by the government for disaster preparedness?

Key Takeaways:

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— Darjeeling, known for its beauty and salubrious climate, has been a victim of several natural disasters in the past. Available records show that massive landslides occurred in 1899, 1934, 1950, 1968, 1975, 1980, 1991 and more recently in 2011 and 2015. The year 1968 saw devastating floods, also in October, killing over a thousand people.

— The State of Environment Report, 1991, published by the non-profit Centre for Science and Environment, stated that during 1902-1978, there were nine cloud burst occurrences in the Teesta Valley.

— Firstly, the population in the hills has increased, mainly because of influx from the plains and neighbouring countries. The land-and-property-buying spree recorded metamorphic changes in the last three decades.

— Secondly, the impact of climate change has been quite distinctly visible in the changing rainfall pattern. The rainfall that remained fairly spread over from May and September has now become more intense and incessant, lasting for just a few hours over a few days.

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— Thirdly, the rivers and jhoras (streams) have shown unprecedented course changes, thereby generating new paths for hydrological flows and intrusions into human habitations and livelihoods.

— Fourthly, heavy, unsuitable and unsustainable development projects, like hydro power, railways, hotels and other installations, have been a massive onslaught on the limited carrying capacity of these hills.

— And finally, the flooding of river beds, streams-jhora sidelines and other natural corridors with unplanned and unauthorised settlements have triggered arterial clogging.

— In the Landslide Atlas of India 2023 published by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Darjeeling was ranked 35th as the most exposed area among 147 districts.

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— The Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in Sikkim in October 2023, triggered by the Lhonak lake breach, was very emphatically warned about in the Sikkim Human Development Report 2001.

— However, seriously lacking is the required urgency in Central and state governments in both forewarning the hill communities and also in managing the aftermath of damages.

— Besides the relatively weaker institution of the District Collector, there is no professional agency to handle such devastation.

Do You Know:

— A landslide is a physical phenomenon in which a mass portion of rock, debris, or soil falls due to the influence of gravity. Landslides are one of the common geological hazards in hilly areas throughout the world.

— The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released the “Landslide Atlas of India” in 2023. Landslides mapped in the ISRO atlas are mainly event-based and season-based.

— Excluding snow covered areas, approximately 12.6 per cent of the country’s geographical land area (0.42 million sq km) is prone to landslides. As many as 66.5 per cent of the landslides are reported from the North-western Himalayas, about 18.8 per cent from the North-eastern Himalayas, and about 14.7 per cent from the Western Ghats.

— GLOFs are disaster events caused by the abrupt discharge of water from glacial lakes — large bodies of water that sit in front of, on top of, or beneath a melting glacier. As a glacier withdraws, it leaves behind a depression that gets filled with meltwater, thereby forming a lake.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Why is Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) important for UPSC exam

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Landslides : 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

UPSC Prelims practice Question Covering similar theme:

(2) Consider the following statements:

1. Any area where surface runoff is directed or land is heavily saturated is vulnerable to landslides.

2. The soil topography, rock type, geomorphology, and slope angles in certain areas can make them more vulnerable to landslides than others.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Previous year UPSC Mains Questions Covering similar theme:

Describe the variopus causes and the effects of landslides. Mention the important components of the National Landslide Risk Management Strategy. (UPSC CSE 2021)

The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides.” Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation. (UPSC CSE 2016)

Energy weapons, satellites, radar network key to‘Sudarshan Chakra’ air defence shield

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate; Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

What’s the ongoing story: India’s Mission Sudarshan Chakra will create a nationwide air defence shield by linking 6,000 to 7,000 radars (to track hostile targets far beyond the horizon), satellites (to keep constant watch from space), and DEWs or directed energy weapons (laser-based systems designed to destroy enemy threats). These, along with other surveillance and defence platforms, will feed into one integrated network, The Indian Express has learnt.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Know about India’s Mission Sudarshan Chakra

— What is the need of building indigenous air defence system?

— How the use of drones transformed modern warfare?

— What are the initiatives taken by the government in the defence sector?

— What are directed energy weapons (DEWs)?

— What is the Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS)?

Key Takeaways:

— According to sources, the armed forces, paramilitary forces, defence PSUs, the private sector and several R&D bodies will be part of the project. Strategic locations to be covered by the system have already been identified, sources said.

— The multilayered air defence shield is aimed at monitoring, detecting, identifying and destroying enemy threats directed at India. Currently, the country’s air defence infrastructure is largely focused on protecting critical military installations and strategic assets. Sudarshan Chakra will extend this coverage significantly to key locations and population centres across the country.

— As India looks to augment its space surveillance capabilities for the defence forces, work is already underway to deploy 52 new surveillance satellites by 2030 under Phase 3 of the Space-Based Surveillance (SBS) programme.

— These will be linked with smaller air defence assets and radars under Sudarshan Chakra, scanning and tracking enemy aircraft, drones or missiles, and cueing weapon systems for interception.

— Multiple radar systems, including Over-the-Horizon (OTH) radars capable of looking deep into enemy territory, are planned to be procured and integrated into the shield to detect and track hostile aircraft, drones and missiles, and to direct their destruction through linked weapon systems.

— Indigenously developed directed energy weapons (DEWs), which use high-powered lasers to neutralise targets, will also be part of the network. Sources said the multilayered shield would be designed to counter aerial threats at both strategic and tactical levels.

— Satellites, OTH radars and DEWs will be integrated with long- and medium-range missile systems, anti-drone technologies and air defence guns, creating layered protection against a wide range of threats.

— Most of these platforms are planned to be designed and built in India, though existing weapon systems from global manufacturers will also be folded in to form a consolidated, nationwide defence.

Do You Know:

— The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has also taken early steps. Last month, it successfully tested the Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS), which combined Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missiles or QRSAM (for intercepting hostile aircraft), Very Short Range Air Defence or VSHORADS missiles (for close-range threats) and a 5-kilowatt laser.

QRSAM: QRSAM is a short-range Surface to Air Missile (SAM) system, primarily designed to provide a protective shield to moving armoured columns of the Army from enemy aerial attacks. The entire weapon system is configured on highly mobile platforms. It has search and track capability and can fire on short halts. The system has an operation range of three to 30 kilometers.

VSHORADS: VSHORADS is a fourth-generation, technically advanced miniaturised Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD). The DRDO has said that the missile system has the capability to meet the needs of all the three branches of the Armed Forces — Army, Navy and Air Force.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍DRDO successfully tests home-grown air defence system: All about IADWS and its 3 components

📍Multi-layered shield: Maiden flight tests of integrated air defence weapon system done

UPSC Prelims practice Question Covering similar theme:

(3) Consider the following statements with regard to the  Integrated Air Defence Weapon System:

1. It is a multi-layered air defence system that comprises all indigenous components.

2. Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missiles is a short-range Surface to Air Missile (SAM) system.

3. Advanced Very Short Range Air Defence System is a fourth-generation, technically advanced miniaturised Man Portable Air Defence System.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only One

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

 

EXPLAINED

Sir Creek: Site of decades-long India-Pakistan border dispute

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Security challenges and their management in border areas – linkages of organized crime with terrorism

What’s the ongoing story: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday (October 2) warned Pakistan that “any misadventure in the Sir Creek sector will invite a decisive response”. 

Key Points to Ponder:

— Know about the location of Sir Creek

— Why does Sir Creek matter?

— What is the difference between Creek and stream?

— What are the issues of border disputes between India and neighbouring countries?

— What is the ‘Thalweg’ principle of boundary demarcation?

— What are the security concerns in the border regions of India?

Key Takeaways:

— Sir Creek, originally Ban Ganga, is a fluctuating 96-km tidal estuary along the India-Pakistan border. To its east lies the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, and to its west, the province of Sindh in Pakistan.

— The marshy area around Sir Creek teems with venomous Russel’s vipers and scorpions; every monsoon, the creek floods its banks, enveloping surrounding salt flats. As such, the region is sparsely populated and difficult to police.

— Yet it has long been at the centre of an unresolved border dispute between India and Pakistan. This is because it is strategically and economically important for both countries.

STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE: As Singh said, Sir Creek is crucial to Pakistan’s defence of Karachi, Sindh’s capital and Pakistan’s economic hub and largest city.

— Post Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has built bunkers, radars, and forward bases in the disputed area, capable of launching drone attacks and infantry operations. India too has maintained a strong military presence to deter any Pakistani misadventure.

— Indian concerns, however, aren’t merely limited to the Pakistan military. Sir Creek could be used as a launchpad for terror attacks on Indian soil. During the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Pakistani terrorists had come to Mumbai by boat.

Credit: Ashutosh Misra, India-Pakistan: Coming to Terms, Palgrave MacMillan, 2010

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: Beyond strategic concerns, it is perhaps the economic importance of Sir Creek that has precluded the resolution of the decades-long border dispute.

— The region is said to hold untapped oil and gas reserves which are potentially vital to both countries’ interests. For New Delhi, which has long sought to diversify its oil imports, and which is currently searching for newer sources of cheaper oil beyond Russia, this is particularly important.

— The creek also supports vital fishing grounds, crucial for the livelihoods of local fishermen in both Gujarat and Sindh. The absence of a clear boundary results in frequent arrests of fishermen who inadvertently cross into the other country’s waters, disrupting livelihoods and ruining lives.

— Pakistan claims the entirety of Sir Creek, while India sets the boundary along the middle of the navigable channel.

— This disagreement stems from a larger disagreement on whether the creek falls under the ‘Thalweg’ principle of boundary demarcation, which provides for making the mid-channel of a given watercourse a boundary. India argues that while fluctuating, the creek falls under the Thalweg principle because it remains navigable and is frequented by fishermen. Pakistan rejects this argument, claiming instead that the creek is not navigable, meaning the principle does not apply.

— India and Pakistan have thus far held several rounds of bilateral discussions on the dispute. During the first round of talks held in Islamabad on 2 June 1989, the two sides managed to discuss the fundamental aspects of the dispute, but without any concrete results.

— The Ministry of External Affairs had stated in 2019 that the last “formal talks (on Sir Creek) were held in June 2012 and the two sides inter alia discussed the land boundary in the Sir Creek area and delimitation of the International Maritime Boundary between India and Pakistan”.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍‘Pakistan will have to consider if it wants to remain part of globe’: Army Chief warns against testing India’s resolve

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Management of India’s border disputes— a complex task. (UPSC Essay 2018)

 

THE IDEAS PAGE

An Energy Atmanirbharta Act 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

General Studies-III: Various Security Forces & Agencies & their Mandate Security Challenges & their Management in Border Areas.

What’s the ongoing story: Vikram S Mehta writes: “Viksit Bharat” and atmanirbharta are resonant national slogans. There is no minister of energy in the central government with oversight responsibility for the core components of the energy ecosystem — coal, petroleum, renewables and nuclear.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Opportunism is the bedrock of contemporary energy policy. Elaborate.

— Why is the government emphasising on atmanirbhar Bharat?

— What is the roadmap to achieve it?

— What are the steps taken by India for self-reliance in energy security?

— How important is energy security for India in the current geopolitical context?

Key Takeaways:

— First, he should ensure his cabinet colleagues agree on the interpretation of these words. That is, to have clarity and alignment on the deliverables of viksit and atmanirbhar in the context of energy.

— The Hindi word viksit translates to “developed”, which most people distil down to economic metrics like GDP. The minister should make clear that viksit in the context of energy has a broader deliverable. It encompasses social inclusiveness and environmental protection.

— Atmanirbhar translates to “self-sufficiency” or “self-reliance”. The policy roadmap for achieving the former is different from that for the latter.

— “Self-sufficiency” is a hard metric. It means we produce what we consume. Our petroleum companies have been struggling to achieve this goal for more than half a century.

— Self-sufficiency in coal is, of course, attainable as we sit atop the fifth-largest deposits in the world, but overdependence on this “dirty” and highly polluting energy source would compromise our objective of Viksit Bharat, broadly defined.

— “Self-reliance” on the other hand, can be interpreted more loosely. It is not about import independence but about a network of national and international relationships and assets that guarantee access to affordable, timely and “clean” energy.

— The larger point the minister must make clear is that the policy roadmap for achieving self-sufficiency is different from that for achieving self-reliance. In the context of atmanirbharta, the country should strive for self-reliance.

— Second, the minister should set out the current global backdrop. Three messages should be emphasised.

— The world is headed towards an ecological abyss. Sadly, global summitry related to climate change has failed to deliver substantive results — the target of limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels was breached in 2024.

— One constant bears reminding. Even as the contours of the energy map have changed, energy security remains a national priority.

— With this definitional clarity and global backdrop, I would recommend the government take the following five high-level steps.

— One, back atmanirbharta with legislation and enact an “Energy Atmanirbharta Act”.

— Two, create a strategic stockpile of critical minerals and metals, similar to the strategic petroleum reserves.

— Three, invest disproportionately in owning, controlling and/or managing international energy assets including critical minerals and metals. Specialised expertise should be dedicated to this purpose. The weight of India Inc should be behind bids and negotiations.

— Four, increase — by a multiple — public investment in R&D and technology innovation. Public-private partnerships between government departments, academia, research laboratories and businesses have been the trigger for technological breakthroughs worldwide.

— And five, sort out the complexity of the regulatory environment; simplify access to factors of production (land, capital, water); assure contract sanctity; contemporise expertise (fewer oil riggers; more solar maintenance engineers ) and provide leadership.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Vikram Singh Mehta writes: For energy security, a redesign 

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

“Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy is the sine qua non to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.Comment on the progress made in India in this regard. (UPSC CSE 2018)

ECONOMY

India’s SMR ambitions get a private sector boost

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology

What’s the ongoing story: Reliance Industries Ltd, India’s largest private sector corporation, Tata Power, and Adani Power are among six private entities that are learnt to have formally expressed interest to set up small modular nuclear reactor-based projects.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are ‘Bharat Small Modular Reactors’? What are the Small Modular Reactors(SMRs)?

— How are SMRs different from traditional nuclear reactors?

— What role can SMRs play in India’s energy security and its transition towards cleaner energy sources?

— What are the challenges in developing SMRs?

— How can the involvement of private companies in SMR deployment impact India’s nuclear energy sector?

— India is pushing SMRs as a technology of promise that can help in industrial decarbonisation. Elaborate.

— Know about India’s nuclear energy programme

Key Takeaways:

— In response to requests for proposals floated by the state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd to set up its proposed ‘Bharat Small Modular Reactors’ or BSMRs, Hindalco Industries, JSW Energy and Jindal Steel too have evinced interest.

— Some 16 sites have been tentatively marked across six states — Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

— The BSMRs are proposed to be constructed and operated under NPCIL’s supervision and the state-run company will retain operational control and asset ownership, while the successful bidders will hold beneficial rights over the net electricity generated for captive use.

— As of now, two SMR projects have reached the operational stage globally. One is an SMR named Akademik Lomonosov floating power unit in Russia that has two-modules of 35 MWe (megawatt electric) and started commercial operation in May 2020.

— The other is a demonstration SMR project called HTR-PM in China that was grid-connected in December 2021 and is reported to have started commercial operations in December 2023.

— The BSMR project is part of the Indian government’s efforts to get into the manufacturing value chain of small modular reactors — increasingly seen as important for nuclear energy to remain a commercially competitive option into the future. India is working to get into this space, both as a way of fulfilling its commitment to clean energy transition, and bundling SMRs as a technology-led foreign policy pitch.

— Though India’s civil nuclear programme has expertise in manufacturing smaller reactor types – 220MWe PHWRs (pressurised heavy water reactors) and above – the problem for India is its reactor technology.

— Based on heavy water and natural Uranium, the PHWRs are seen as increasingly out of sync with the pressurised water reactors or PWRs (a light-water nuclear reactor type that constitute the large majority of the world’s nuclear power plants) are now the most dominant reactor type across the world.

— The government’s choice of the technology mix for its SMR projects seems to try and address this specific concern. India’s own range of at least three SMR prototypes that are being designed and developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), a constituent unit of the DAE, include broadly three reactor types.

— Apart from this indigenous effort, India is trying to leverage technology from the US, Russia and other countries that have an early lead on SMR technology and in designing light water reactor projects.

— Legislative groundwork is currently underway for multiple amendments in the two overarching laws governing the country’s atomic energy sector, which now aim to align these legislations with legal provisions globally, addressing festering investor concerns and setting the stage for an opening up of India’s civil nuclear sector.

Do You Know:

— SMRs – small modular reactors, which are nuclear reactors with a capacity of 30MWe (megawatt electric) to 300 MWe per unit – are increasingly seen as important for nuclear energy to remain a commercially competitive option in the future, especially when large nuclear projects are facing implementation delays across geographies.

— These new and smaller nuclear reactors have about a third of the generating capacity of most traditional nuclear power reactors, but can produce a large amount of low-carbon electricity are seen as a possible solution to meet the power needs of energy-intensive industries such as steel, aluminium, and cement. They can also be set up by repurposing thermal power plants that are to be decommissioned.

— Nuclear offers a solution, especially since the grid needs new electricity solutions that offer a clean, round-the-clock power source that can tide over the limitations of renewables – not generating power when the sun’s not shining or the wind is not blowing.

— New Delhi is pushing SMRs as a technology of promise that can help in industrial decarbonisation, including a determined hard sell of the country’s ability to take something of a leadership role in the dissemination of this technology

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Scaling down in nuclear power and space

📍India’s three-stage nuclear programme — A must-know for UPSC exams

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(4) India is an important member of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor’. If this experiment succeeds, what is the immediate advantage for India? (UPSC CSE 2016)

(a) It can use thorium in place of uranium for power generation

(b) It can attain a global role in satellite navigation

(c) It can drastically improve the efficiency of its fission reactors in power generation

(d) It can build fusion reactors for power generation

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy. (UPSC CSE 2018)

ALSO IN NEWS
Carriers INS Vikrant, HMS Prince of Wales lead 8-day Indo-UK naval exercise off Western coast The navies of India and the UK Sunday began an eight-day wargame exercise off the Western coast.

India’s Western fleet units led by aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the UK carrier strike group led by HMS Prince of Wales are taking part in the bilateral exercise, Konkan-25, which will go on till October 12.

After Konkan 2025 concludes, the UK carrier strike group is scheduled to participate in a one-day exercise with the Indian Air Force off the Western coast on October 14.

“Exercise Konkan 2025 will serve as a platform to consolidate strategic ties, enhance interoperability and contribute to regional maritime stability,” the statement read.

Air India Boeing 787’s last-ditch power system deploys on its own before safe landing An Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft’s last-resort power system unexpectedly deployed on its own just before the plane landed safely at Birmingham airport on Saturday, even though all electrical and hydraulic parameters were found normal, prompting a probe by India’s aviation safety regulator.

The ram air turbine (RAT) system was one of the points of focus in the investigation of the Air India Boeing 787-8 crash in Ahmedabad which killed 260 people.

The RAT is a small wind-powered turbine. In modern aircraft, it deploys automatically during grave emergencies involving total electrical failure or a debilitating hydraulic failure. Pilots can also deploy it manually. An accidental automatic RAT deployment without an emergency situation is extremely unusual.

 

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY
1. (a)     2. (c)     3. (c)    4. (d)

 

Topic: How are US tariffs likely to impact India? What can India do?
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Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: khushboo.kumari@indianexpress.com ... Read More

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