Skip to main content
UnlockIAS

UPSC Current Affairs

16 topicsGS-1: 3GS-2: 3GS-3: 10
0/16 done
GS-2Polity

1.Official Secrets Act 1923 Key Provisions (Official Secrets Act)

Indian Express

What & Where

Official Secrets Act 1923: pan-India colonial-era statute preventing espionage and leaks of classified material.

Applicability: binds all Indian citizens worldwide and any non-citizen involved in espionage or unauthorised disclosures.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 152: new sedition clause penalising acts inciting secession while exempting lawful criticism.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Section 3 OSA criminalises espionage, secret code possession, punishable by 14 years imprisonment
  • Section 5 OSA targets unauthorised disclosure or retention; liability extends to knowing recipients
  • Section 10 OSA sets penalties for harbouring spies

Security Dimension

  • Purpose: protect sovereignty, integrity, strategic interests from foreign espionage threats
  • Case: Haryana travel blogger held for pro-Pakistan content under OSA Secs 3 & 5
  • BNS 152 complements OSA by covering digital, financial support to secessionists

Historical Timeline

  • 1889 Act aimed at silencing press dissent during British Raj
  • 1904 Curzon amendments further tightened secrecy provisions before 1923 consolidation

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Colonial predecessorIndian Official Secrets Act 1889
Major tightening year1904 under Viceroy Lord Curzon
Max imprisonment, OSA Sec 3Up to 14 years
Offence, OSA Sec 5Unauthorised possession or disclosure of official documents
Core of BNS Sec 152Intentional secessionist or rebellious incitement

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CAPF_GAI, GS1 2023PYQ 1

With reference to India, consider the following pairs:

CAPF_GAI, GS1 2024PYQ 2

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

GS-3Economy

2.India Emerges Fourth Largest Global Economy (GDP Ranking)

Times of India
Illustration for India Emerges Fourth Largest Global Economy (GDP Ranking)

What & Where

IMF-WEO (Apr 2025): India’s nominal GDP $4.19 tn, edging Japan’s $4.18 tn.

Global order now: USA, China, Germany, India, Japan.

Ranking based on nominal USD figures, not PPP; geography—India within world economy.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Economic Angle

  • Doubling: GDP grew from $2 tn (2014) to $4+ tn (2025).
  • Projection: Likely to surpass Germany within 2.5–3 years.
  • Income: Per-capita nearly doubled to $2,880.

Policy Reforms

  • Reforms: Digital India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, infra push credited for momentum.
  • Confidence: Higher rank signals stronger FDI, international partnerships.
  • Announcement: NITI Aayog CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam cited IMF data.

Strategic Manufacturing

  • Competitiveness: India remains cost-effective production base amid reshoring debates.
  • Example: Apple exploring US plants, yet India stays attractive.
  • Role: Manufacturing hub central to future GDP leap.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Current global GDP rank (2025)4th
India nominal GDP (2025, IMF)$4.19 tn
Japan nominal GDP (2025)$4.18 tn
India GDP (2014)$2 tn
Per-capita income 2014$1,438
Per-capita income 2025$2,880
Projected rank by ~20283rd (overtake Germany)

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

ESE_GS, NDA_GAT 2025PYQ 1

S1. Liberalisation and globalisation freed India's economy from the low GDP trap that had impeded India's progress

ESE_GS, NDA_GAT 2023PYQ 2

IMF raises its projection for economic growth in 2021-22 to

GS-1Mapping

3.Kuwait Geography and Demography Overview (West Asia Geography)

NDTV
Illustration for Kuwait Geography and Demography Overview (West Asia Geography)

What & Where

Kuwait: small constitutional monarchy in Northwestern Persian Gulf, capital Kuwait City, borders Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Persian Gulf

Citizenship revocation 2024: Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah annulled ~37 000 naturalisations, mainly women gained via marriage

Terrain largely flat desert; highest point Al-Shiqāyā 290 m; Kuwait Bay functions as key natural harbour

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Revocation: Emir exercised decree power to cancel marriage-based naturalisations en masse
  • ReformAgenda: Step presented as cleansing “irregular” citizenships, aligning with fiscal–welfare restructuring
  • StatelessRisk: De-naturalised persons risk joining Bidoon lacking political rights and social benefits

Demography

  • Citizens: Native Kuwaitis form only around 30 % of 4.5 million inhabitants
  • Expatriates: Migrant labour force numerically dominates, shaping economy and remittance flows
  • Identity: Kuwaiti nationality traditionally traced through paternal lineage, limiting maternal transmission

Physical Geography

  • DesertPlain: Country mostly flat with gentle undulations plus Al-Zawr escarpment near Kuwait Bay
  • Peak: Al-Shiqāyā at 290 m is national high point amid otherwise low relief
  • Hydrology: Absence of rivers or lakes necessitates large-scale seawater desalination for freshwater supplies

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
LocationNorthwestern Persian Gulf, West Asia
Political systemConstitutional monarchy
Capital cityKuwait City
NeighboursIraq, Saudi Arabia, Persian Gulf coast
Highest elevationAl-Shiqāyā Peak 290 m
Major escarpmentAl-Zawr Escarpment 145 m
Permanent riversNone
Main water sourceDesalination
Citizens in total population≈30 %
Stateless Bidoon≈1 lakh people
2024 citizenships revoked>37 000 individuals
Group most affectedWomen naturalised through marriage
Natural harbourKuwait Bay
GS-1Mapping

4.Yamuna River Course and Tributaries (Yamuna Basin)

Times of India
Illustration for Yamuna River Course and Tributaries (Yamuna Basin)

What & Where

Yamuna — northern perennial river; India’s longest that does not reach sea.

Origin: Yamunotri Glacier, Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand), 4,421 m; runs 1,376 km through 6 states/UTs.

Joins Ganga at Prayagraj; major urban corridor: Delhi–Noida–Mathura–Agra.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Environmental Impact

  • Illegal Sonipat sand mining diverted river channel, altering hydrology.
  • Disturbance risks riverbank erosion, aquatic habitat loss.
  • Floodplain integrity compromised by in-stream extraction.

Legal & Policy

  • Activity breaches National Green Tribunal’s ban on Yamuna sand mining.
  • Haryana irrigation report evidences violation of environmental statutes.

Tributary Network

  • Himalayan: Rishi Ganga, Hanuman Ganga, Tons, Giri.
  • Plains: Hindon, Chambal, Sind, Betwa, Ken.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Origin glacierYamunotri
Origin altitude4,421 m
Total length1,376 km
States in basinUK, HP, HR, Delhi, UP, RJ (parts)
Largest tributaryTons
Tons share in discharge≈60 %
Delhi stretch52 km (Palla→Jaitpur)
Final confluenceGanga at Prayagraj (Sangam)

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

NDA_GAT 2024PYQ 1

Which of the following statements regarding the given rivers is/are correct?

NDA_GAT 2024PYQ 2

Consider the following facts of the rivers of the Indus system :

GS-1Mapping

5.Updated Measurement of India’s Coastline (Coastline Paradox)

The Hindu
Illustration for Updated Measurement of India’s Coastline (Coastline Paradox)

What & Where

Updated official Indian coastline: 11,098.8 km (Dec 2024) versus 7,516.6 km earlier.

Revision reflects coastline paradox; high-resolution 1 : 250,000 electronic charts now capture creeks, estuaries, sandbars.

Span: 11 coastal States + 2 UTs; Gujarat remains longest at ~1,600 km.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Measurement Tech

  • ENC scale 1 : 250,000 replaces 1 : 4.5 m 1970s charts, giving ~18× finer resolution.
  • Inclusion of creeks, estuaries, sandbars, low-tide islands plus LIDAR-GPS tracing lengthened coastline.

Security Dimension

  • Surveillance load grows; Navy & Coast Guard to stretch radar, AIS, patrol grids over additional 3,582 km.
  • Jurisdiction complexity rises for coastal police stations under Coastal Security Scheme Phase III.

Climate & Economy

  • Precise shoreline improves cyclone, tsunami modelling and CRZ hazard-line delineation for climate adaptation.
  • Accurate baseline strengthens EEZ claim, guides Sagarmala ports, offshore wind and wider blue-economy planning.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Old length (km)7,516.6
New length (km)11,098.8
Increase (km)≈3,582
Mapping scale1 : 250,000 ENC
Lead agenciesNHO & Survey of India
Reference year for HWL2011
Coastal States11
Coastal UTs2 (A&N, Lakshadweep)
Longest State coastlineGujarat ~1,600 km
Key toolsGIS, LIDAR-GPS, drones, altimetry

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK 2023PYQ 1

Which one of the following Indian States has the longest coastline?

CDS_GK 2021PYQ 2

India's territorial limit extends towards the sea up to

GS-3Environment

6.Kerala Cargo Vessel Oil Spill Risk (Oil Spill Response)

New Indian Express
Illustration for Kerala Cargo Vessel Oil Spill Risk (Oil Spill Response)

What & Where

Oil spill – accidental petroleum release forming toxic surface film in oceans, seas or coastal waters

Location – MSC ELSA 3 capsized 38 NM off Kochi, Arabian Sea while sailing Vizhinjam → Kochi

Payload – 640 containers incl. 13 hazardous; fuel load 84.44 t diesel & 367.1 t furnace oil

Quick Facts for MCQs

Environmental Impact

  • Toxic film blocks sunlight, depletes dissolved oxygen, kills phytoplankton, corals, mangroves
  • Coating impairs thermoregulation & mobility of birds, marine mammals, turtles; fish face reproductive toxicity
  • Persistent contamination lingers in estuaries, unsettling entire marine food web

Legal & Policy

  • MARPOL 73/78 & OPRC 1990 set global spill prevention and cooperation norms; India party
  • Merchant Shipping Act 1958 authorises pollution control within Indian waters
  • NOS-DCP assigns Coast Guard for surveillance, containment, public safety actions

Tech & Schemes

  • Skimmers mechanically recover floating oil into storage tanks
  • Dispersants break slick into micro-droplets, enhancing microbial degradation
  • Bioremediation employs oil-eating microbes eg TERI’s Oil Zapper

Economic Angle

  • Fisheries, coastal tourism and shipping revenues sharply decline after spills
  • Cleanup, compensation and legal liabilities impose multi-million-dollar costs on operators and governments

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Vessel nameMSC ELSA 3
Flag stateLiberia
RouteVizhinjam to Kochi
Distance from Kochi38 nautical miles
Containers total640
Hazardous cargoes13
Diesel onboard84.44 metric tonnes
Furnace oil onboard367.1 metric tonnes
National planNOS-DCP
Nodal agencyIndian Coast Guard
Key conventionMARPOL 73/78
Spill response pactOPRC 1990

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK 2020PYQ 1

Which one of the following Indian Ocean island nations has recently declared a state of environmental emergency due to oil spill from a grounded ship?

GS-3Environment

7.Nagshankar Temple Community Turtle Conservation (Turtle Conservation)

ETV
Illustration for Nagshankar Temple Community Turtle Conservation (Turtle Conservation)

What & Where

Nagshankar Temple, 4th-century Shiva shrine in Biswanath district, Assam; declared model site for turtle conservation

Large pond shelters 250–300 turtles, including critically endangered black softshell; functions as micro-wildlife sanctuary

Lies near Sootea, 70 km east of Tezpur; pond linked to Brahmaputra basin, ensuring year-round habitat

Quick Facts for MCQs

Biodiversity & Species

  • Species list includes critically endangered black softshell, vulnerable Indian softshell, Malayan softshell
  • Auxiliary fauna: peacocks, pythons, deer, creating temple-based micro-sanctuary
  • Brahmaputra-fed pond offers perennial water, nesting banks, natural food

Community Engagement

  • Temple committee spearheads daily protection with local devotees’ support
  • Collaborates with TSA India, Help Earth, Kaziranga NP for expertise and funding
  • Faith-based conservation replicated in ~25 Assamese temples, notably Hayagriva Madhav, Hajo

Conservation Techniques

  • Forest department applies artificial egg incubation to boost hatchling survival
  • Hatchlings reared then released into wild wetlands strengthening meta-populations
  • Model tag likely attracts additional grants, research, eco-tourism opportunities

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
DistrictBiswanath, Assam
Distance from Tezpur≈70 km
FounderKing Nagashankar, Nagakha dynasty
Built in4th century AD
Main deityLord Shiva
Turtle count250–300
Key speciesBlack, Indian, Malayan softshell turtles
Status givenModel Temple for Turtle Conservation
Declaration occasionWorld Turtle Day (23 May)
Conservation partnersTSA India, Help Earth, Kaziranga NP, Forest Dept
Similar temple hubs in Assam≈25
GS-3Environment

8.Microplastic Pollution from Heavier Electric Vehicles (EV Microplastics)

Indian Express

What & Where

Electric Vehicles (EVs): battery-propelled road transport replacing internal-combustion engines.

Key processes: heavier chassis → tyre abrasion; lithium-ion battery production, end-of-life handling; coal-based grid charging.

Core geography: India’s coal-dominant power mix, uneven state EV roll-outs, rising urban pollution hotspots.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Environmental Impact

  • Tyre-wear: Extra mass plus instant torque heightens microplastic release to air, soil, water.
  • Production: EV manufacture emits almost twice ICE CO₂; lithium mining heavily depletes groundwater.

Regulatory & Policy Gaps

  • Standards: Non-exhaust PM, tyre particles fall outside present PM2.5/PM10 limits.
  • Waste: E-waste rules omit lithium-ion specifics, enabling illegal battery dumping.

Infrastructure & Supply Chain

  • Charging: Limited, costly, often diesel-fed; lack of national equipment interoperability.
  • Materials: 70 % cells imported; no secure cobalt or rare-earth sourcing roadmap.

Initiatives & Solutions

  • Schemes: PM E-Drive, FAME-II, PLI-ACC boost domestic EVs and advanced-cell plants.
  • Circularity: Battery Waste Management Rules 2022 impose Extended Producer Responsibility and recycling targets.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Vehicle weight delta15–20 % heavier
Battery pack mass300–900 kg
CO₂ per EV build16–19 t
Freshwater per t lithium1.89 million L
Coal grid intensity800–850 g CO₂/kWh
Tyre microplastic airborne1–10 μm
Charging station cost≈ ₹1 crore
Li-ion cell import 202370 %

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2021PYQ 1

Magnetite particles, suspected to cause neurodegenerative problems, are generated as environmental pollutants from which of the following?

GS-3Environment

9.Climate-Driven Cyclone Intensification Threatens Mangroves (Cyclone Impact)

The Hindu
Illustration for Climate-Driven Cyclone Intensification Threatens Mangroves (Cyclone Impact)

What & Where

Tropical cyclones: warm-core low-pressure storms forming over ≥26.5 °C seas, traditionally within 5–20° latitude.

SSP5-8.5 study: cyclone belt projected to shift poleward, heightening risks for East Asia, Caribbean, Madagascar, Oceania, Central America.

Mangroves: intertidal forests; >40 % global cover in Southeast Asia, crucial for shoreline defence, carbon sinks, nurseries.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Drivers

  • Warmer-seas: Higher SST energises storms, raises wind speeds, rainfall, rapid intensification rates.
  • Hadley-shift: Expanding cell and altered jet streams steer cyclones toward higher latitudes.
  • Sea-level: Thermal expansion + ice melt amplify storm surge and coastal flooding.

Environmental Impact

  • Mangrove-damage: Hurricane Irma defoliated 62 % southwest Florida canopy, weakening coastal protection.
  • Coral-reefs: Cyclone turbulence plus warming fuel repeated bleaching of Great Barrier Reef.
  • Habitat-loss: Salinisation and fragmentation threaten Sundarbans Bengal tiger refuge and estuarine biodiversity.

Policy & Mitigation

  • Early-warning: Satellite-AI tracking, evacuation drills, storm-resilient infrastructure reduce casualties.
  • Nature-based: “Building with Nature” restores mangroves, reefs, wetlands as low-cost buffers.
  • Finance-leverage: UNEP—every $1 adaptation yields $4 benefits; Loss-and-Damage Fund, debt-for-nature swaps to aid cyclone-frontline nations.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Emission pathway analysedSSP5-8.5
Global mangroves at high–severe risk (2100)56 %
Southeast Asia mangroves at risk52–78 %
Recovery gap between severe storms 1980-201719 years
Recovery gap projected 2015-205012 years
Mangrove loss since 198035 %

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

ESE_GS, GS1 2011PYQ 1

The 2004 Tsunami made people realize that mangroves can serve as a reliable safety hedge against coastal calamities. How do mangroves function as a safety hedge?

ESE_GS, GS1 2020PYQ 2

Which one of the following regions is characterized by sensitive ecosystems, enhanced occurrences of extreme weather events and natural catastrophes?

GS-3Species

10.Schistura densiclava Cave Fish Discovery (Endemic Fish)

Hindustan Times
Illustration for Schistura densiclava Cave Fish Discovery (Endemic Fish)

What & Where

Schistura densiclava = newly described troglophile stone-loach (Family Nemacheilidae) discovered 2024 in Krem Mawjymbuin cave, East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya.

Species thrives both hypogean (18 °C, low-O₂) and epigean waters, yet keeps pigmentation & vision—rare among cave fish.

Cave lies near Mawsynram village; calcareous sandstone with stalagmites, notable Symper Rock formation.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Taxonomy & Naming

  • Family Nemacheilidae; adds to genus Schistura diversity hotspot in NE India.
  • Holotype sequences deposited GenBank; confirms separate lineage.

Morphology

  • Stripe-rich pattern aids field ID; retains functional eyes unlike troglobites.
  • Thick dorsal band basis for species epithet.

Habitat & Ecology

  • Low-light adaptation without loss of vision; suggests recent cave colonisation.
  • Diet incorporating bat guano indicates cave nutrient-cycling role.

Geology

  • Krem Mawjymbuin = limestone-rich, heavy stalactite–stalagmite formations attracting geologists.
  • Symper Rock forms flat-topped dome within same karst system.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Scientific nameSchistura densiclava
Name meaningLatin “densi-clava” = thick stripe near dorsal fin
Taxonomic familyNemacheilidae (stone loaches)
Habitat typeTroglophile; cave & surface streams
Cave water temp~18 °C
Body colourPale yellow-green with 14–20 black bars
Sexual dimorphismMales slimmer, puffed cheeks; females broader
Diet itemsCopepods, insect parts, shrimps, bat droppings
EndemismOnly in Krem Mawjymbuin cave
Genetic statusDNA distinct from other NE India Schistura spp.
Cave rockCalcareous sandstone
Landmark insideSymper Rock (dome-shaped)
DistrictEast Khasi Hills, Meghalaya
Oxygen conditionLow-oxygen tolerated
Latitude zoneKhasi-Jaintia plateau (NE India)
GS-3S&T

11.New ELQ-Based Antimalarial Agents (Antimalarial Drugs)

The Hindu
Illustration for New ELQ-Based Antimalarial Agents (Antimalarial Drugs)

What & Where

Antimalarial agents: compounds acting inside Anopheles mosquitoes to block Plasmodium falciparum instead of killing the vector

Key type: Endochin-like quinolones (ELQs)—ELQ-456, ELQ-331, ELQ-453 + ELQ-613 combination

Application zone: polyethylene bed-net films for malaria-endemic regions including insecticide-resistant mosquito hotspots

Quick Facts for MCQs

Mechanism & Efficacy

  • Mitochondrial inhibition during oocyst stage blocks parasite transmission cycle
  • Action independent of pyrethroid pathways, limits cross-resistance development
  • Contact delivery possible via treated walls, screens, nets

Operational Advantages

  • Long-lasting polymer impregnation lowers replacement frequency costs
  • Simple chemical synthesis allows scalable, cost-effective mass production
  • Safe integration in existing WHO-recommended bed-net materials

Limitations & Risks

  • Potential parasite resistance if mono-therapy overused
  • Up-front investment needed to re-engineer net manufacturing lines
  • Regulatory and large-scale field validation yet to be completed

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Lead ELQELQ-456
ELQ-456 actionFully blocks P. falciparum infection
ELQ-331 actionSignificantly reduces infection load
ELQ-453 + 613 comboPrevents oocyst maturation
Target parasite stageOocyst development in mid-gut
Mosquito mortalityNil; non-insecticidal
Field potency~1 year open-air exposure retained
Resistance statusWorks on insecticide-resistant strains
Contact time neededBrief surface touch sufficient
Commercial stagePre-market; further trials, approvals pending
GS-3S&T

12.Google AI Matryoshka Layered Ecosystem (Google AI Stack)

The Hindu

What & Where

AI Matryoshka = Google’s multi-layered AI ecosystem with Gemini 2.5 as core “brain”.

Unveiled at Google I/O Developers Conference 2025, Mountain View, California.

Integrates models, TPUs, APIs and user apps into one globally served stack.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Schemes

  • Gemini 2.5 Pro tops USAMO reasoning; Flash tuned for speed, lower memory.
  • Model Context Protocol enables agent hand-offs with defined thinking budgets.

Ethics & Governance

  • Privacy flagged: Gemini App can parse users’ private files for on-device insights.
  • Consent, data-rights debates amplified by deep integration across Google services.

Economic Angle

  • Digital commerce, content creation and workflow automation expected to accelerate under unified AI stack.
  • High exaFLOP TPUs signal intensified capital race in global AI infrastructure.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Launch year2025
Core model familyGemini 2.5 (Pro & Flash)
Flash efficiency gain20–30 % over Pro
TTS language support24 languages, multi-speaker
TPU generation7th-gen Ironwood
Peak compute≈ 5 exaFLOPS
Image modelImagen 4
Video modelVeo 3
Music modelLyria 2
Content watermark toolSynthID
GS-3S&TQuick Bite

13.NASA Bird-Wing Solar Eruption Observation (Solar Eruptions)

Hindustan Times
Illustration for NASA Bird-Wing Solar Eruption Observation (Solar Eruptions)

What & Where

Bird-Wing solar eruption; joint Solar Flare + Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) spotted 26 May 2025.

Origin: Sun’s northern hemisphere; plasma fan stretched >1 million km, over twice Earth–Moon gap.

Falls under Sun–Earth geophysical interactions influencing magnetosphere and space weather.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Phenomenon Components

  • Solar-flare: sudden X-ray burst from magnetic reconnection; travels light-speed.
  • CME: bulk plasma ejection, slower yet mass-laden; drives geomagnetic storms.
  • Classification: X-ray brightness ranks A (weak) to X (extreme).

Earth Impact

  • Geomagnetic-storm risk: disturbs magnetosphere, triggers auroras at lower latitudes.
  • Infrastructure threat: satellite electronics, GPS accuracy, HF radio, power grids.
  • Current event delivered only negligible perturbations; no major outages reported.

Observation & Timing

  • NASA monitoring allowed early warning despite non-earthward trajectory.
  • Flare photons reached Earth in minutes; CME missed, limiting storm intensity.
  • Event exemplifies need for continuous space-weather surveillance systems.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Event nicknameBird-Wing
Observing agencyNASA
Plasma span>1 million km
Relative distance>2× Earth–Moon
Solar-flare speed≈ speed of light
Flare Earth-arrival~8 minutes
CME speed range250–3000 km s⁻¹
CME arrival window1–3 days
Flare class scaleA, B, C, M, X
Main componentsSolar Flare + CME
Detected impactMinimal; no severe storm
Usual hazardsRadio blackout, grid failure, aurora

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2022PYQ 1

If a major solar storm (solar flare) reaches the Earth, which of the following are the possible effects on the Earth ?

GS-3S&TQuick Bite

14.Xenon Gas Applications and Properties (Noble Gas Xenon)

Times of India

What & Where

Xenon = rare, colourless, odourless noble gas (Group 18), mono-atomic, chemically almost inert.

Occurs in trace 0.09 ppm of Earth’s atmosphere; commercially recovered via fractional distillation of liquid air.

26 May 2025: four British climbers first to summit Mount Everest aided by xenon-oxygen mix for rapid acclimatisation.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Applications Spectrum

  • Mountaineering; enhances O₂ delivery, mitigates hypoxia, speeds acclimatisation.
  • Healthcare; anaesthesia, blood-flow measurement, brain/heart/lung imaging.
  • Industry & space; microprocessor etching, nuclear plant gas, satellite ion thrusters.

Chemical & Physical Properties

  • Heavier noble gas; density 5.9 kg/m³ at STP, three physical states achievable.
  • Forms fluorides (XeF₂, XeF₄, XeF₆) and oxides (XeO₃, XeO₄) under forced conditions.
  • Compounds are potent oxidisers; toxicity and explosiveness necessitate strict handling.

Everest Case Study

  • British team inhaled xenon-O₂ mix during ascent; first documented high-altitude field use.
  • Reduced acclimatisation period from ~40 days to near 20, per expedition notes.
  • Success may influence future high-altitude medicine and expedition logistics.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Atomic number54
Atmospheric abundance~0.09 ppm (trace)
Commercial sourceBy-product of air-separation (O₂/N₂)
ReactivityInert; compounds only with F, O
Medical roleInhalation anaesthetic; boosts erythropoietin
Mountaineering benefitNeuroprotective; counters altitude sickness
Lighting useFlash lamps, strobe, HID car headlights
Space applicationIon-propulsion fuel for satellites
Toxicity noteXe compounds strong oxidisers, explosive

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2008PYQ 1

Which one of the following is also called Stranger Gas?

GS-2Economy

15.India Blocks Bangladeshi Garment Imports via Land (India-Bangladesh Trade)

The Hindu

What & Where

Move: India stops readymade-garment imports from Bangladesh via every land port on the Indo-Bangla border.

Geography hit: Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram ports + West Bengal’s Changrabandha & Fulbari.

Still allowed: Shipments through Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Nhava Sheva (Maharashtra) and Kolkata Sea Port.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Trade Policy

  • Reciprocity: mirrors Dhaka’s cap on Indian cotton-yarn, rice-transit through Bangladeshi land ports.
  • Objective: correct trade asymmetry, leverage regional politics under Atmanirbhar Bharat banner.

Economic Impact

  • Bangladesh: land-dependent exporters lose quickest route; risk of order diversion to Nepal/Bhutan markets.
  • India: higher freight & time shifting cargo to sea; opens space for NE textile entrepreneurs.

Security Dimension

  • Strategy: lessen Bangladeshi trade footprint in NE seen as vital to India’s ‘strategic identity’.
  • Anxiety: Dhaka’s growing China engagement amplifies Delhi’s supply-chain securitisation.

Regional Connectivity

  • Multilateral tools: BIMSTEC, BBIN flagged for de-escalation & balanced transit framework.
  • Trust deficit: unilateral closures expose fragility of Sub-regional trade architecture.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Ban coversReadymade garments + processed food, plastics, wooden furniture, cotton waste
Land ports closedAll 0 n NE & WB border (Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Changrabandha, Fulbari)
Seaports openNhava Sheva & Kolkata
Key exemptionsFish, LPG, edible oil, crushed stone
Bangladesh apparel exports to India≈ US $700 million annually
Cited rationaleReciprocity vs yarn/rice curbs; security concern over Dhaka-Beijing closeness

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1, NDA_GAT 2020PYQ 1

Consider the following statements:

GS1, NDA_GAT 2024PYQ 2

In February 2024, Government of India has decided to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and:

GS-2Environment

16.Sagarmatha Sambaad Global Himalayan Dialogue (Sagarmatha Sambaad)

PIB
Illustration for Sagarmatha Sambaad Global Himalayan Dialogue (Sagarmatha Sambaad)

What & Where

Sagarmatha Sambaad = Nepal-led, biennial global forum (1st: 2025) named after Mt Everest; deliberates on mountains & climate.

Core process: multi-stakeholder dialogue on glacier melt, GLOFs, biodiversity, finance; aligns with UN “International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation 2025”.

Geography focus: Himalayas—the “water towers” feeding Ganga-Brahmaputra-Indus, influencing monsoon and Northern India’s climate shield.

Quick Facts for MCQs

International Cooperation

  • India’s 5-point call: science collaboration, climate resilience, community welfare, green finance, mountain voice in global fora.
  • Big Cats Alliance leveraged for snow-leopard, tiger, leopard conservation across trans-Himalayan range.
  • Early-warning systems for GLOFs pushed as regional public good.

Ecological Value

  • Biodiversity hotspot: >10,000 vascular plants, 979 birds, 300 mammals including red panda & Himalayan tahr.
  • Forests & alpine meadows act as carbon sink; crucial for climate mitigation.
  • Natural barrier moderating winter cold, steering monsoon rainfall essential for 40 % of India’s population.

Threats & Risks

  • Rising disasters: avalanches, cloudbursts, GLOFs e.g., 2023 Sikkim, 2025 Uttarakhand events.
  • Unregulated slope-cutting, blasting causing landslides; exemplified by 2023 Joshimath subsidence.
  • Waste audit 2022: 92.7 % Himalayan trash plastic; 72 % non-recyclable.

Sustainable Measures

  • Enforce rigorous EIAs; adopt bio-engineering, zero-emission transport corridors.
  • Limit visitors via carrying-capacity permits; promote eco-tourism, low-impact trekking.
  • Scale glacier monitoring, water-harvesting (ice stupas) and community-led afforestation under JFM models.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Host countryNepal
FrequencyBiennial
2025 Theme“Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity”
India’s snow leopard count (2019-23)718
Annual Himalayan water supply~1.2 trn m³
States where tourism ≥10 % GSDPUttarakhand, W Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya
Projected HKH glacier loss by 2100up to 75 % volume
Major Arunachal hydropower plan13 GW Lohit Basin (2023)

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK, GEO_GS 2024PYQ 1

हिमालयी हिमनदियों (ग्लेशियरों) और उनकी अवस्थिति के निम्नलिखित युग्मों में से कौन-सा/कौन-से सही सुमेलित है/हैं?

CDS_GK, GEO_GS 2025PYQ 2

The Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (GBPNIHE) has its Headquarters at

Ready to practice?

Test your knowledge with our UPSC test series.

Start Free Trial