Current Context : WMO has published the State of Climate 2024 Update for COP29 on the backdrop of the U.N. climate summit at Baku.

• Temperature Increase: From January to September 2024, the global average temperature was 1.54°C above pre-industrial levels, indicating a significant warming trend.
• Greenhouse Gas Rise: CO₂ levels in the atmosphere reached 420 ppm in 2023, marking a 51% increase since 1750.
• Sea Level Rise: Between 2014 and 2023, global sea levels rose at 4.77 mm per year, more than twice the rate observed from 1993 to 2002.
• Antarctic Sea Ice: Antarctic sea ice extent in 2024 was the second-lowest on record, with 2023 being the lowest since satellite records began in 1979.

Current Context : Shigeru Ishiba formally re-elected as Japan’s Prime Minister, after winning the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

• Election Process: He secured a majority in both houses of the National Diet, marking a critical moment in Japan’s political landscape.

India – Japan Relations

Cultural and Historical Ties:

• Deep cultural links, especially through Buddhism.
• Friendly relations with no territorial or ideological conflicts.​

Defense Cooperation:

• Joint military exercises: Dharma Guardian, Malabar, and MILANnaval exercise.
• Regular military and coast guard exchanges since 2006​

Economic and Trade Relations:

• Japan played a vital role in India’s recovery post-1991 economic crisis.
• Collaborations in infrastructure, renewable energy, and railways (e.g., Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Bullet Train)​

Strategic Cooperation:

• Both countries aim for a free Indo-Pacific and work together through Quad.
• Cooperation to address regional security challenges, particularly from China.​

Celebrated every year on November 15^th .

Aim : to commemorate the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, a tribal freedom fighter and religious leader who played a crucial role in India’s struggle against British colonial rule.

About Birsa Munda

• Born:November 15, 1875, in Ulihatu, Ranchi district, Bengal Presidency (present-day Jharkhand, India)
• Died:June 9, 1900, in Ranchi Central Jail
• Known for:Leading a tribal religious millenarian movement against British rule in the late 19th century.

General Studies Paper-3

Context: The Tamil Nadu government introduced the Tamil Nadu Repowering, Refurbishment, and Life Extension Policy for Wind Power Projects – 2024, aiming to enhance wind energy output by repowering or refurbishing small wind turbines.

However stakeholders have raised objections to the policy, citing concerns about its effectiveness.

Wind Energy Potential in India

• India has wind power potential for 1,163.86 GW at 150 metres above ground level, and is ranked fourth in the world for installed wind energy capacity.
• Only about 6.5% of this wind potential is used at the national level.
• Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh are the leading States for installed wind energy capacity, collectively contributing 93.37% of the country’s wind power capacity installation.
• As of 2024, renewable energy-based electricity generation capacity stands at 201.45 GW, accounting for 46.3 percent of the country’s total installed capacity.
• Solar power contributes towards 90.76 GW, wind power follows closely with 47.36 GW, hydroelectric power generating 46.92 GW and small hydro power adding 5.07 GW, and biopower, including biomass and biogas energy, adds another 11.32 GW.

India’s Targets

• India has a vision to achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2070, in addition to attaining the short-term targets which include:
• Increasing renewables capacity to 500 GW by 2030, out of which 140 GW will be coming from wind power.
• Meeting 50% of energy requirements from renewables.
• Reducing cumulative emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030, and
• Reducing emissions intensity of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 45% by 2030 from 2005 levels.

Challenges

• Dependency on Natural Factors: Energy sources like solar and wind are variable as they rely on natural factors like sunlight, wind and water availability.
• Limited Wind Resource Areas: India’s wind resource potential is largely concentrated in specific regions, such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.
• As the wind energy sector expands, land in these regions is becoming increasingly scarce.
• Wildlife Impact: Wind turbines pose a threat to bird and bat populations, which can collide with the blades.
• High Cost: The cost of turbines, installation, and grid connection can be prohibitive, though costs have been declining in recent years.
• Turbine Lifecycle: Wind turbines typically have a lifespan of around 20-25 years.
• Decommissioning and recycling turbine blades, which are made of composite materials, has become a significant concern due to their difficulty in recycling.
• Offshore wind farms are more difficult and expensive to build than onshore ones due to the need for specialized vessels, equipment, and installation techniques.
• These projects are often located in deep waters, requiring floating turbines, which are still in the experimental stages.

Government Initiatives

• National Offshore Wind Energy Policy (2015): This policy was introduced to develop offshore wind energy potential in India, especially along the coastlines of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and other maritime regions.
• National Wind Energy Mission: Focuses on the development and expansion of wind energy in India. The target for wind energy capacity is set at 140 GW by 2030.
• National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy (2018): The main objective of the policy is to provide a framework for promotion of large grid connected wind-solar PV hybrid systems for optimal and efficient utilization of wind and solar resources.
• Wind Resource Assessment: The National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), conducts wind resource assessments to identify potential sites for wind energy generation across the country.
• Wind Farm Development: The program promotes the development of wind power plants by providing financial incentives, including subsidies for setting up wind energy projects in identified areas.
• Wind Energy Auctions (Competitive Bidding): The government conducts competitive auctions where developers submit bids for setting up wind power projects.
• Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO): This requires power distribution companies and large electricity consumers to procure a certain percentage of their power from renewable sources, encouraging the demand for renewable energy.

Current Context : Rajiv Kumar, a retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer is appointed as Chairman of HPRCA.

About Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Ayog

• Formed on 30th September 2023 under Article 192 of the Constitution of India.
• Headquarter : Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh.
• Function : HPRCA is responsible for overseeing the recruitment process for state government positions in Himachal Pradesh.​

Current Context : Recently, the Inter-State Council Secretariat updated its Standing Committee.

Committee Composition:

• The revised committee has 12 members, including prominent Union Ministers like Amit Shah (Chairman), Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Nirmala Sitharaman.​
• Other members include Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Virendra Kumar, and CR Patil, along with Chief Ministers from Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh​

Role of Inter-State Council:

• The Inter-State Council is a constitutional body that facilitates coordination between the Centre and states.
• It addresses issues related to Centre-State relations and is crucial for maintaining cooperative federalism in India.​

Current Context : DRDO conducted the first flight test of the LRLACM from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha, using a mobile launcher.

About

• Developed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment, supported by Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited.
• It is designed as an advanced successor to the Nirbhay missile for precision long-range strike capabilities.

Technical Specifications :

• Range : Over 1,500 km.
• Dimensions : 6 meters in length, 0.52 meters in diameter, approximately 1 ton in weight.
• Features : Equipped with a high-tech RF seeker system, foldable wings, and turbofan engines for precision targeting.​

Current Context : Recently, the QS World University Rankings: Asia (2025) was released.

• Released by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS),global higher education think-tank.
• It ranked 984 universities from 25 Asian countries, assessing indicators like academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, and research networks.

Key Indicators:

• Universities were ranked on criteria like academic and employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, research networks, and international diversity.

India’s Performance:

• India leads with 161 universities ranked, the highest representation in Asia. This shows a 318% increase in Indian institutions since 2015.

Top Institutions:

• IIT Delhi ranks highest for India at 44^th, followed by IIT Bombay at 48^th, and IIT Madras at 56^th. Six Indian universities are among Asia’s top 100.

Current Context : Defense Exercise Antariksha Abhyas 2024, held in New Delhi by India’s Defense Space Agency (DSA).

Aim : to bolster India’s space defense capabilities by focusing on security measures to protect space assets against potential threats.

Focus on Space Threats:

• Controlled threats: Include cyber-attacks (jamming, hacking), anti-satellite weapons (ASAT), and proximity-based deterrent attacks.
• Uncontrolled threats: Space debris and natural radiation impacting satellite systems.​

Current Context : Lack of water due to excess deficit rainfall at the Hokersar wetland in the Kashmir Valley in recent years has impacted the arrival of migratory bird populations in the region.

About Hokersar wetland

It is a permanent eutrophic lake in the floodplains of the Jhelum River, located west of Srinagar​

Designated Ramsar Site in 2005.

Ecological Features:

• Fed by two perennial streams: Doodhganga and Sukhnag.
• The only site in Kashmir with remaining reed beds.​

Major migratory birds : Large Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Little Cormorant, Common Shelduck, Tufted Duck and endangered Whiteeyed Pochard, coming from Siberia, China, Central Asia, and Northern Europe.