UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 24 April 2025

Solution: a)

Only statement 3 is correct.

• NCMM aims to reduce environmental degradation and import dependency by promoting critical mineral recycling.
• Statement 1 is incorrect because nuclear fuel development falls under a different domain (Department of Atomic Energy), not NCMM.
• Statement 2 is incorrect as the mission was launched by the Ministry of Mines, not NITI Aayog, and is not a part of the Integrated Energy Policy but a standalone mission from the Union Budget 2024–25.

About National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM):

• What it is?
  • The National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) is a flagship initiative launched to ensure the secure, resilient, and sustainable supply of critical minerals essential for India’s clean energy transition, technological advancement, defence, and strategic sectors.
• Launched in: Union Budget 2024–25.
• Ministry: Ministry of Mines, Government of India.
• Aim:
  • To enhance exploration, mining, processing, recycling, and securing supply chains for critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, rare earth elements (REEs), graphite, nickel, and others.
  • To support Net Zero 2070 goals, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and energy security.

• Components of NCMM:

• • Exploration and Mining: The Mission plans over 1200 exploration projects to identify critical mineral reserves and auction 100+ mineral blocks for commercial mining to boost domestic supply.
  • Overseas Acquisition: It facilitates Indian public and private sector companies to acquire mineral assets abroad, particularly in countries like Argentina, Australia, and Chile, ensuring strategic resource security.
  • Recycling and Circular Economy: The Mission promotes recycling of critical minerals by creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and offering incentives to reduce import dependence and environmental degradation.
  • Research and Innovation: Establishment of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) is planned to drive cutting-edge R&D in extraction, processing, beneficiation, and advanced critical mineral technologies.
  • Skill Development: The Mission introduces specialized training programs, new academic courses, and scholarships to create a skilled workforce needed for India’s emerging critical minerals sector.
  • Infrastructure Development: It focuses on building mineral processing parks and national stockpiles to strengthen India’s refining, storage, and distribution network for critical minerals.

Solution: c)

• The Red Sea is uniquely positioned as a vital maritime link, connecting the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal in the north and the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Aden in the south.
• This dual connectivity makes it a strategic thoroughfare for global maritime trade.
• Though it is formed due to tectonic divergence (not a triple junction), and has extreme salinity and temperature, it supports deep coral reef ecosystems, which are unusually resilient to bleaching.
• The notion that it only supports shallow reefs or that it has the lowest salinity is incorrect; in fact, it’s one of the most saline seas in the world.

• What is the Red Sea?
  • A semi-enclosed tropical sea, part of the Indian Ocean, stretching 1,930 kmfrom the Suez Canal to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
  • Connectsto the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal and to the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Aden.
  • Surface Area: ~438,000 sq km.
• Neighbouring Countries: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti.
• Key Features & Facts:
  • Geological Significance:
    • Formed by the rift between African & Arabian tectonic plates(still widening at ~15 mm/year).
    • Contains hot brine poolsand active volcanic zones (e.g., Jabal Al-Ṭāʾir Island).
  • Unique Marine Ecosystem:
    • Home to coral reefs resistant to climate change, vital for global marine biodiversity.
    • Supports endangered specieslike hawksbill turtles and dugongs.
  • Economic & Strategic Importance:
    • Major Shipping Route: 12% of global trade passes through, linking Europe & Asia.
    • Tourism Hub: Famous for diving (e.g., Blue Hole), generating billions in revenue.
  • Climate & Salinity:
    • One of the warmest and saltiest seas(up to 41°C in summer).
    • Named for occasional red algal blooms(Trichodesmium erythraeum).
  • Environmental Threats:
    • Over-tourism, coastal development, and oil spills endanger marine life.
    • Coral bleachingrisks due to rising sea temperatures.

Solution: a)

• While the BSE has achieved many firsts in Indian financial history, the launch of global depository receipts (GDRs) is not credited to it. GDRs are generally issued by companies abroad and are not exclusive to any Indian exchange.
• In BSE was the first exchange in India to introduce electronic trading through BOLT in 1995, launched Sensex in 1986 as India’s first index, and was also the first Indian exchange to partner with the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative in 2012. Hence, option (a) is not a valid milestone and is the correct answer.

About Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE):

• What it is?

• BSE Ltd. is Asia’s oldest stock exchange and a major platform for trading equities, debt, mutual funds, derivatives, and commodities in India.

• Established in: 1875, originally as “The Native Share & Stock Brokers’ Association” founded by cotton merchant Premchand Roychand.

History:

• Began informally under a banyan tree near Mumbai Town Hall.
• Shifted to Dalal Street in 1874 and formalized in 1875.
• Became the first exchange to be recognized under the Securities Contract Regulation Act, 1956.
• Introduced electronic trading in 1995, replacing the open outcry system.
• Partnered with the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative in 2012.
• Launched India INX (first international exchange) in 2016.
• Listed itself on National Stock Exchange in 2017.

Key Features:

• Benchmark Index: Sensex (30 top-performing companies), launched in 1986.
• Market Capitalization: Surpassed $5 trillion in May 2024, ranking 6th largest globally.
• Product Offerings: Equities, stock futures/options, index derivatives, debt securities, ETFs, mutual funds.
• Listings: Over 5,000 companies, the highest among all global exchanges.
• Technological Advancement: Early mover in electronic trading systems through BOLT (BSE Online Trading)

Solution: a)

Both statements are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I.

The colossal squid lives at depths of up to 2,000 meters in the frigid waters of the Southern Ocean. This, combined with the logistical difficulty and cost of deep-sea research, makes direct observation and capture rare.

Only a handful of specimens have ever been studied, and most are incomplete.

Their reclusive lifestyle and deep-sea dwelling are primary reasons why much of their biology—including reproduction and behavior—remains poorly understood.

About Colossal Squid:

• What it is?
  • The colossal squid is the largest invertebrate species known, a massive deep-sea predator rarely observed in its natural habitat.
• Scientific Name: Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni.
• Category: It belongs to the class Cephalopoda, which includes octopuses, cuttlefish, and other squids.
• Habitat: It resides in the deep, cold waters of the Southern Ocean, particularly around Antarctica.
• Key Features:
  • Physical: It can grow up to 14 meters (46 feet) in length and weigh up to 500 kilograms (1100 pounds), with the largest eyes in the animal kingdom.
  • Biological: Females are larger than males. Their tentacles are equipped with sharp, rotating hooks adapted for predation and defense.
  • Food Habits: It preys on large fish like the Patagonian toothfish, other squids, and occasionally battles with sperm whales.
  • Reproduction: Specific mating behavior is unknown; however, it reproduces through internal fertilization. Juveniles are transparent and grow darker with maturity.

Solution: c)

Statements 1, 3, and 4 are correct.

• PETA is famous for its celebrity endorsements to draw public attention (e.g., campaigns with actors like Joaquin Phoenix).
• It is also renowned for investigative journalism, including factory farms, slaughterhouses, and zoos.
• Its ethical motto clearly states: “Animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment.”
  Statement 2 is incorrect: PETA promotes veganism, not cage-free meat or humane animal consumption. They reject all forms of animal use, regardless of welfare claims.

About People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA):

• What it is?
  • PETA is a global nonprofit animal rights organization advocating against animal cruelty and exploitation across various industries.
• Established in: March 1980 by Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco in the United States.
• Headquarters:
  • Global HQ: Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
  • India HQ: Mumbai, Maharashtra (established in January 2000).
• Objective: To uphold the principle that “animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way.”
• Functions:
  • Conducts investigations and public education campaigns.
  • Engages in legislative advocacy and celebrity partnerships.
  • Promotes veganism, opposes animal testing, factory farming, fur farming, and animal use in entertainment.
  • Operates rescue missions and works to implement animal welfare reforms globally.

Solution: b)

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Red Sea’s name is believed to be linked to seasonal blooms of red-colored algae.

Statement 2 is incorrect. like Trichodesmium erythraeum, not iron sediments.

Its salinity is higher than the Indian Ocean, sometimes exceeding 41 PSU, due to high evaporation and minimal freshwater inflow.

Statement 3 is correct: the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the deep waters of the Red Sea are of growing interest for military and surveillance activities, especially given its chokepoint status.

Solution: d)

Statement 1 is incorrect. PETA is a nonprofit NGO, not affiliated with the United Nations or any intergovernmental treaty.

Statement 2 is incorrect. PETA focuses on animal rights, not conservation biology or habitat protection—those are domains of WWF or WCS.

Statement 3 is incorrect: PETA has not received a Nobel Peace Prize.

Statement 4 is incorrect: While it promotes veganism, its campaigns also cover animal experimentation, fashion, entertainment, and rescue work, going beyond just dietary concerns.

Solution: c)

• The core objective of Exercise Tiger Triumph 2025 is centered around enhancing interoperability in amphibious warfare, especially in the context of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
• Given the increasing frequency of climate disasters, such capability has strategic implications beyond conventional military preparedness—it helps India assert its role as a first responder in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly alongside a Quad partner like the US.
• The inclusion of amphibious and HADR elements underlines India’s focus on multi-domain interoperability, a central theme in its maritime strategy. This does not involve EU or ASEAN maritime trade routes directly, nor is it structured as a trilateral naval command.

Exercise Tiger Triumph 2025:

• Host Nation:India (Duvvada Firing Range, Andhra Pradesh)
• Participating Nations:India and the United States
• Objective:
  • Improve interoperability in amphibious warfare.
  • Sharpen preparedness for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

Solution: d)

All three statements are incorrect.

• Statement 1 is wrong—the CAG’s salary is determined separately by law and is not under the FC’s purview.
• Statement 2 is incorrect—the Finance Commission is a constitutional, not executive, body, and is set up by the President of India, not the Ministry of Finance.
• Statement 3 is also incorrect—the Election Commission’s funding is charged on the Consolidated Fund of India and not based on FC recommendations.

Solution: b)

Statement 1 is incorrect.

• Exercise DUSTLIK is a bilateral military exercise between India and Uzbekistan, and it is not conducted under the aegis of the SCO, although both countries are SCO members.
• Statement 2 is correct as the exercise focuses on sub-conventional operations which encompass counter-terrorism, urban warfare, and intelligence-sharing drills.
• Statement 3 is also correct. Uzbekistan, being a Central Asian Republic, is a vital part of India’s “Connect Central Asia” policy, and the exercise deepens this defence cooperation.

Exercise DUSTLIK-6:

• Host Nation:India (Pune, Maharashtra)
• Participating Nations:India and Uzbekistan
• Objective:
  • Enhance tactical coordination in sub-conventional operations.
  • Exchange best practices in joint military procedures.