UPSC Key: SpaDeX Mission, Good Governance Index, and Parker probe

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

What’s the ongoing story: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) ended 2024 on a high when the SpaDeX mission, which will demonstrate its docking capability in space, commenced Monday night. The PSLV-C60 workhorse lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota and successfully placed two satellites in the desired lower earth orbit.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What were the significant missions of ISRO in 2024?

• What is the importance of the SpaDeX mission?

• What are ISRO’s space missions to the moon, sun, and Mars?

• Why does India want to build a space station?

• What is the Chandrayaan-4 mission?

• What are the other important missions of ISRO for 2025?

Key Takeaways:

• ISRO chairperson S Somanath said the docking is estimated to take place on January 7. “There is work for us in the new year to demonstrate docking as well as the experiments on POEM (PS4 Orbital Experiment Module). In 2025, we will have many missions…”

• The SpaDeX or Space Docking Experiment is key to ISRO’s future missions – sample return from the Moon, an Indian on the Moon, the building and operation of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS).

• The success of this mission will make India the fourth country in the world with space docking technology – after Russia (the former USSR), US and China.

• Two small satellites, injected in a 475-km circular orbit after the launch, will demonstrate the docking. A distance of around 20 km will first be created between the two satellites – the SDX01 Chaser and SDX02 Target.

• Once the required distance is attained within a day, the propulsion system on the Target will be fired to counter the relative velocity – the satellites will stop drifting away and remain at a constant distance from each other.

• For the docking, the Chaser will start reducing the distance between the satellites progressively to 5 km, 1.5 km, 500 m, 225 m, 15 m, 3 m, finally joining with the Target satellite. Once joined, the satellites will also transfer electrical power. They will later separate and continue working on their own for the next two years.

• The Chaser satellite has a high resolution camera on board – a miniature version of a surveillance camera. The Target is carrying a multispectral payload that will be used for monitoring natural resources and vegetation along with a radiation monitor that will study space radiation and create a database.

• The docking-undocking capability is essential for future missions that require heavy payloads which cannot be carried in a single launch. Modules build a space station – the Bharatiya Antariksh Station will have five modules that will be connected in space, with the first module launch planned for 2028.

• The planned Chandrayaan-4 mission will require docking capability because the re-entry module, which will be designed to withstand the heat of re-entry to the Earth’s atmosphere, will be launched separately. The transfer module carrying samples from the Moon will come and dock with the re-entry module in the Earth atmosphere.

• The fourth stage of the launch vehicle will be used as POEM – or PS4 Orbital Experiment Module – to demonstrate 24 technologies, including 10 technologies from start-ups and educational institutions.

• This will be the first time an ISRO mission will carry a biological experiment. The CROPS (Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies) experiment will see the germination of seed and sustenance of a plant up to a two-leaf stage.

• Other experiments from ISRO include a debris capture robotic arm that will use a visual feed and object motion prediction to capture debris, another moveable robotic arm that may be used in servicing satellites in space in future.

• The experiments by other organisations include a study of plant cells in microgravity and in Earth gravity from Amity University, a study of gut bacteria to generate their growth curve in space by Bengaluru’s RV College of Engineering, a couple of synthetic aperture radars, and a green propulsion system among others

Do You Know:

• National Space Day commemorates the groundbreaking success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which achieved the safe landing of the Vikram Lander on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023.

• India’s first National Space Day theme is “Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga.”

• The Chandrayaan-3 mission was India’s third lunar mission and second attempt to make a soft landing on the surface of the Moon. It was launched by Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3).

• According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s three objectives were to demonstrate a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, to demonstrate a Rover roving on the Moon and to conduct in-situ scientific experiments.

• The success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission is of great significance to India, as it established India’s reputation as a serious player in planetary exploration. It consolidated India’s position as a space power.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍National Space Day: All you need to know for UPSC Prelims and Mains

📍ISRO: Chandrayaan-4 design final, samples from Moon by 2027

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) Consider the following statements: The Mangalyaan launched by ISRO (UPSC CSE 2016)

1. is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission

2. made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after USA

3. made India the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft orbit the Mars in its very first attempt

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

What is India’s plan to have its own space station and how will it benefit our space programme? (UPSC CSE 2019)

30% jump in gold loan NPAs in April-June on slowing economy, debts

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: In what seems to be a disturbing trend, there has been a significant rise in defaults among customers who have pledged gold to secure loans.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What are non-performing assets (NPAs)?

• What are non-banking finance companies (NBFCs)?

• How NBFCs operate and how are they regulated?

• What are the challenges faced by NBFCs?

• What are the reasons for the surge in gold loan defaults?

Key Takeaways:

• Gold loan non-performing assets (NPAs) — or loans defaulted by borrowers — of banks and non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) had risen 30 per cent to Rs 6,696 crore as of June 2024, from Rs 5,149 crore just three months ago, according to data provided by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

• The surge in gold loan defaults is attributed to the rising indebtedness as a slowing economy has affected income levels, making it difficult for borrowers to repay.

• When gold prices went up, people pledged their gold to meet household expenses, school and education fees, and hospital charges. They defaulted on the loans as they found the loan amount is greater than the purchase price and were oblivious of the fact that their credit score will come down after the default.

• The RBI has taken note of the irregular practices in the gold loan sector and has directed lenders to review their policies and practices. The central bank has also identified weaknesses in monitoring loan-to-value ratios, incorrect application of risk weights, and lack of transparency during auctions of gold ornaments and jewellery.

• The growing concern of gold loan defaults highlights the need for lenders to strengthen their credit assessment and verification processes, enhance financial literacy programs for borrowers, and implement more flexible repayment options.

Do You Know:

• The government is considering discontinuing the sovereign gold bond (SGBs) scheme due to the high cost of financing the scheme.

• SGBs are debt securities issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on behalf of the government, with each unit denoting a gram of gold. These bonds offer the flexibility of trading in the secondary market, providing investors with the opportunity to accrue capital gains.

• These bonds offer a superior alternative to holding gold in physical form. The risks and costs of storage are eliminated. Investors are assured of the market value of gold at the time of maturity and periodical interest.

• These bonds offer the flexibility of trading in the secondary market and the interest in SGBs is fixed at 2.5 per cent per annum on the amount of initial investment.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Knowledge nugget of the day: Sovereign Gold Bonds Scheme (SGBs)

📍Top 10 countries with the largest gold reserves in 2024—check India’s rank

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(2) With reference to the Non-banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) in India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2010)

1. They cannot engage in the acquisition of securities issued by the government.

2. They cannot accept demand deposits like Savings Account.

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

EXPLAINED

Indians and the H-1B visa

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

What’s the ongoing story: Weeks before he returns as US President, Donald Trump’s supporters are locked in a public row about skilled immigration and H-1B visas.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the difference between a visa and a passport?

• What is the history of India-US relations?

• What is the H-1B visa program?

• How does the H-1B visa program affect relations between India and the United States?

• How does the H-1B visa program impact skilled migration from India to the United States? What significant policy changes have occurred in recent years regarding the H-1B visa?

Key Takeaways:

• Much of the election-time anti-immigration rhetoric focused on low-skilled labour migration. Besides the intrinsic racism, this rhetoric is fuelled by the belief that such immigration depresses wages, and takes away jobs that would have otherwise gone to the American working class — which has long been hit by high unemployment, low wages, inflation, a housing crisis, and other economic problems.

• The current controversy involves many of the same themes as Trump’s “Mexicans-are-stealing-American-jobs” rhetoric — only this time in the context of immigration into the US of skilled personnel for higher paying jobs.

• The H-1B visa program allows American employers to hire immigrant workers in occupations that require “a high level of skill” and “at least a bachelor’s degree”, according to the US Department of Labour.

• The program was started in 1990, with the intention of helping “employers who cannot otherwise obtain needed business skills and abilities from the US workforce by authorising the temporary employment of qualified individuals who are not otherwise authorised to work in the United States”.

• An H-1B visa can be issued for a maximum of six years at a stretch, after which the visa holder has to either leave the US for a period of at least 12 months before returning, or apply for and receive permanent residence (“Green Card”).

• Currently, there is an annual numerical limit (regular cap) of 65,000 new statuses/ visas under this program each fiscal year, with an extra 20,000 visas available to those with a master’s degree or higher from a US university.

• However, not all H-1B petitions are subject to the annual cap. The number of petitions approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, a part of the US Department of Homeland Security, is thus far higher than the annual cap. Notably, petitions for “continuing employment” do not fall under the cap.

Do You Know:

• People born in India are the largest beneficiaries of the H-1B program. Data from the US government show that Indians account for more than 70% of all H-1B petitions approved each year since 2015. People born in China come a distant second, hovering at the 12-13% mark since 2018.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Explained: Debate on skilled immigration, green cards & H-1B visas in US

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:

(3) With reference to the H-1B visa program, consider the following statements:

1. It allows American employers to hire non-immigrant workers in specialty occupations that require a high level of skills.

2. There is no capping in the total number of new H-1B visas.

3. In the fiscal year 2023, Indians accounted for more than half of the total H-1B approvals.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 2 and 3 only

(b) 1 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Indian diaspora has a decisive role to play in the politics and economy of America and European Countries.’ Comment with examples (UPSC CSE 2020)

Parker probe gets closest-ever to the Sun: Why this matters 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

What’s the ongoing story: NASA scientists announced on Friday (December 28) that the Parker Solar Probe survived the closest-ever approach to the Sun. The craft was operating normally after it passed just 6.1 million km from the solar surface.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the Parker Solar Probe mission?

• What are the key objectives of the Parker Solar Probe mission?

• What are the unique technological features of the Parker Solar Probe mission?

• What is the significance of the Parker Solar Probe mission?

• Read about the Sun and its atmosphere.

• What are the ISRO’s space missions related to the Sun?

• Read about the Aditya-L1.

Key Takeaways:

• Launched in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe was developed as part of NASA’s Living With a Star program to explore aspects of the Sun-Earth system that directly affect life and society on Earth.

• It is designed to make observations of the Sun’s upper atmosphere, known as the corona, and carries four instrument suites.

• Over the years, it has completed 21 orbits around the Sun, with flybys of Venus gradually moving closer to our star. The Parker Solar Probe is the closest any human-made object has ever come to the Sun.

• Travelling at the speed of 6,92,000km/h, it endured temperatures up to 1,377 degree Celsius when it reached the closest to our star which occurred on December 24. The probe went out of contact during this but the scientists operating it received the signal on the night of December 26.

• The craft was able to survive such high temperatures as it is protected by a 4.5-inch-thick (11.43 cm) carbon-composite shield.

• The probe circulates a single gallon of water through its solar panels which helps it keep its cool — the water absorbs the heat, and then radiates it out into space.

• Scientists are hoping that as the probe passed through the Sun’s outer atmosphere – the corona – it would have collected data that can give clues about some long standing questions.For instance, researchers expect to solve the mystery around why the corona is so hot — temperatures regularly reach 1 million to 2 million degree Celsius there.

• The data could also give an idea about the origins of solar winds, a continuous flow of material escaping the Sun. A better understanding of solar winds is crucial as it affects not only the space environment but also life on Earth.

• Solar winds are usually deflected by Earth’s magnetic field, which acts like a protective shield. Still, sometimes particles interact with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere to produce the phenomena of the northern and southern lights. However, a strong solar wind can disrupt power grids, satellites, and communication systems.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍NASA probe safely completes closest-ever approach to the Sun

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(4) With reference to Sun consider the following statements:

1. Sunspots host the strongest magnetic fields on the Sun’s surface and the strength of the magnetic field remain uniform through out the region.

2. Similar to the green and mushy algal moss seen growing on a wet rock structure near water bodies, Sun, too, has similar moss-like patchy structures made of plasma in the solar atmosphere.

3. The moss region is connected to the Sun’s lower atmosphere and the temperatures here can go over a 100 times hotter than the immediate layer below.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) Only 1

(b) Only 2

(c) All three

(d) None

 

GOVT & POLITICS

Centre not to release its 2023 Good Governance Index, will focus on 2025

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance, Polity and Governance

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions, Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.

What’s the ongoing story: The Centre has decided not to release the Good Governance Index 2023, the biennial ranking of states and Union Territories (UTs) scheduled to be released during Good Governance Week (December 19 to December 25), and is now planning to publish the next edition in 2025, The Indian Express has learnt.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is Good Governance?

• Read about the Good Governance Index and Good Governance Day?

• What key initiatives has the Indian government taken to promote Good Governance?

• What role does technology play in enhancing Good Governance in India?

• What challenges does India face in achieving Good Governance?

• What steps can be taken to ensure good governance in India?

Key Takeaways:

• Launched on December 25, 2019, the birth anniversary of late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee which is observed as Good Governance Day, the index covers over 50 indicators across sectors, including agriculture, economic governance, public health, and citizen-centric governance. Tamil Nadu and Gujarat got first place among big states in the 2019 and 2021 rankings, respectively.

• As recently as December 7, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions was planning on releasing the 2023 index. Announcing the national campaign for redressal of public grievances, ‘Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore’, from December 19 to December 24, DARPG said in a press release that “The Assessment Report on Special Campaign 4.0, Good Governance Index 2023 and Annual Report of CPGRAMS will be released”, during the week.

• The 2021 index, which was released on December 25, 2021, by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, covered 58 indicators across 10 sectors. While Gujarat topped the composite ranking, 20 states showed an improvement in the composite scores from 2019.

Do You Know:

• In 2014, the Union government announced that December 25 would be celebrated as “Good Governance Day.” This day honors the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

• According to a Good Governance Index Report submitted to the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, “Good governance can be referred as an effective and efficient process of decision making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented) keeping the amelioration of citizens as the topmost priority. Resource allocation, creation of formal establishments, setting up rules and regulations etc., are part of achieving this goal.”

• Good Governance Week took place from December 19, 2024, to December 24, 2024. As part of the activities during this week, the nationwide campaign “Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore” was launched to address public grievances and enhance service delivery across all districts, states, and union territories of India.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Knowledge nugget of the day: Good Governance Day

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Effectiveness of the government system at various levels and people’s participation in the governance system are interdependent”. Discuss their relationship in the context of India. (UPSC CSE 2016)

What do you understand by the terms ‘governance’, ‘good governance’ and ‘ethical governance’? (UPSC CSE 2016)

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

In the name of democracy

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Constitution of India —historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure

What’s the ongoing story: Ashok Lavasa writes: 2024 saw the high tide of democracy; it also experienced extreme heat. The climate is changing, moderation is on the decline. In the case of the climate, it is possible to forecast a trend based on known anthropogenic factors. In the case of democracy, it might not be easy to read the future based on the outcome of the 2024 elections, described as a “make-or-break year for democracy”.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the model code of conduct?

• How are elections conducted in major democracies?

• What is the significance of free and fair elections for democracy?

• What are the key features of democracy?

• What is the purpose of conducting regular elections?

• What is the role of the Election Commission in conducting elections in India?

Key Takeaways:

• Almost half the global population in countries such as India, Indonesia, South Africa, Mexico, the United States, Germany, Greece, and the United Kingdom got an opportunity to vote.

• There are a few discernible features of these elections, although it might be premature to perceive a pattern. Writing for The Guardian, Jonathan Yerushalmy and Oliver Holmes see “little evidence to show global trends to either the left or the right side of politics”, but “those in power lost out”.

• Whether it was a “bonfire” or “a graveyard for incumbents” (Financial Times), it is the first time since universal suffrage began in 1894 that over 80 per cent incumbent parties lost support compared to the previous election.

• In India, South Africa and Japan, incumbent parties didn’t lose power but lost seats. Did this mean “winning was easy, governing harder”?

• PEW’s recent global surveys highlighted that across 31 nations surveyed in 2024, about 54 per cent of adults were not satisfied with the way democracy worked in their country, felt disconnected from political leaders and institutions, found that political parties did not represent their interests and that the common man had no influence on politics.

• It concludes that the weakening of these factors raises questions about the fundamental structures of democratic systems and casts doubt on the extent to which people have the civic and economic space to cast informed votes. The disenchantment of voters might be the most formidable challenge to democracy.

• The rule of law and equality of all citizens before the law are important. People lose faith if they find that the system is being steered by those who have the means to manipulate the levers of political power derived through democratic elections.

• In a democracy, people transfer their power temporarily to elected representatives. It would be a travesty of democracy if those representatives were driven by the desire to retain power at all costs.

• One noteworthy and disturbing feature of the 2024 electioneering was the dilution of decency in public discourse, whether or not a model code of conduct existed. Election speeches were marked by loose rhetoric, coarse language and unsubstantiated statements.

• The Global State of Democracy Report 2024 revealed that the quality of elections was significantly worse than it was five years ago in about 33 per cent countries and that between 2020 and 2024, a losing candidate or party rejected the electoral outcome in almost one in five elections.

• Despite this, elections retain their promise. The loss of incumbents is a sign of hope. People are willing to stay with the democratic process even if it means choosing one disappointment after another. An election in a democracy is like a coin toss — winning is merely the beginning of the game.

Do You Know:

• M H Ilias writes: As a technique of governance, democracy has been a source of legitimacy for governments to exercise power and control or govern the “population” since the French Revolution.

• In societies, on the other hand, it is a natural sentiment, an essential value. Freedom to dissent, demand justice, recognise differences and respect the rights of others are driving forces of democracy in the first sense. The “majoritarian consensus” determines the character and content of democracy in the second sense.

• In practice, democracy as a principle seldom overpowers the notion of democracy as an administrative practice. It is no different in India. Questions about the state of democracy come up only around crises of procedures like those related to elections or institutions like Parliament. Few seriously examine what values should mark democracy in a country like India where pluralism, diversity and tolerance are necessary for society to survive.

• The idea of democracy was introduced and nurtured during the national movement. Despite its upper-caste and middle-class content, the values and principles of democracy became entrenched in politics and thereby in the political imagination of the people in subtle ways.

• Due to the structural inequalities of Indian society, B R Ambedkar considered democracy a value that the Constitution must protect and guarantee.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍In India, the idea of democracy differs from its practice

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(5) We adopted parliamentary democracy based on the British model, but how does our model differ from that model? (UPSC CSE 2021)

1. As regards legislation, the British Parliament is supreme or sovereign but in India, the power of the Parliament to legislate is limited.

2. In India, matters related to the constitutionality of the Amendment of an Act of Parliament are referred to the Constitution Bench by the Supreme Court.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

To enhance the quality of democracy in India the Election Commission of India has proposed electoral reforms in 2016. What are the suggested reforms and how far are they significant to make democracy successful? (UPSC CSE 2017)

 

WORLD

Jimmy Carter, the 39th and longest-lived US President, dies at 100

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th President of the US, passed away Sunday in his home in Plains, Georgia, The Carter Center announced. He was 100.

Key Points to Ponder:

• How are Presidents elected in America?

• What is the contribution of Jimmy Carter to the American polity?

• What is the connection of Jimmy Carter to India?

• What are the important groupings between India and America?

• What is the role of Jimmy Carter in the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal?

Key Takeaways:

• Carter, who served as the president from 1977 to 1981, lived longer than any president in the history of the US.

• During his tenure as the president, from January 1977 to January 1981, he faced multiple challenges related to foreign policy. The Democrat leader was defeated in 1981 during his re-election bid by Ronald Reagan, a Republican.

• In 2002, the former US president was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as he is credited with easing nuclear tensions between North Korea and South Korea, a US invasion of Haiti was averted due to his efforts and Carter negotiated ceasefires in Bosnia and Sudan.

• Born Oct. 1, 1924, Carter was raised in the mostly Black community of Archery, just outside Plains, by a progressive mother and white supremacist father. Their home had no running water or electricity but the future president still grew up with the relative advantages of a locally prominent, land-owning family in a system of Jim Crow segregation.

Do You Know:

Former US President Jimmy Carter during his visit to Carterpuri in 1978. (Express Archive)

• AT THE imposing Rezang La War Memorial in Gurgaon’s Sector 23, a group of men gathered to pay floral tributes to a framed portrait of former United States President Jimmy Carter on Monday.

• In bidding goodbye to Carter, who died at the age of 100 on Sunday, they remembered the man who gave their nondescript village more than just a sliver of international fame — its moniker, Carterpuri Village.

• Yadav said his grandfather was the Lambardar of Daulatpur Nasirabad, which was renamed Carterpuri Village in honour of the 39th US President’s visit over four decades ago. “My grandfather had welcomed Carter to the village during his visit on January 3, 1978,” he said.

• Though Carter was the third US President to visit India, he holds a soft spot in the hearts of the residents of Carterpuri Village for his visit in 1978.

• Mahipal Singh, 50, who owns a cable business, said Carter’s mother did a lot of humanitarian work in the area. “At that time, diseases like malaria and chickenpox were spreading like an epidemic,” he said.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Carterpuri in Gurgaon mourns the death of former US President Jimmy Carter

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

How will I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE and USA) grouping transform India’s position in global politics? (UPSC CSE 2022)

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (c)  2. (b)  3. (c)   4. (b)  5. (a)

 

The Indian Express UPSC Essentials brings to you the December issue of its monthly magazine. Click Here to read. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com

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