UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 29 September 2025

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 29 September 2025 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles

InstaLinks :  Insta Links help you think beyond the  current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.

Table of Contents 

GS Paper 3 : (UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 29 September (2025)

1. Stampedes in India

2. Reimagining Green Economy through Landscapes

 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME):

1. Radar-Mounted Drones for Surveillance

Facts for Prelims (FFP):

1. Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves

2. Two New Ramsar Sites in Bihar

3. AstroSat – India’s First Space Observatory

4. BSNL’s Swadeshi 4G Network Stack

5. Government Guidelines for EV Charging Stations

6. Men’s Cricket Asia Cup 2025

 Mapping:

1. Musi River

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 29 September 2025

GS Paper 3:

Stampedes in India

Syllabus: Disaster Management

Source: 

Context: The recent Karur stampede at a political rally in Tamil Nadu, where actor-turned-politician Vijay’s meeting led to tragic deaths, once again highlighted India’s vulnerability to stampede disasters.

About Stampedes in India:

Constitutional and Legal Dimensions

• Article 21 (Right to Life): State’s responsibility to ensure citizen safety in mass gatherings.
• Disaster Management Act, 2005: Stampedes fall under “man-made disasters,” requiring preventive and mitigation strategies.
• Supreme Court in Destruction of Public & Private Properties v. State of A.P. (2009): directed authorities to ensure accountability in handling mass events.

Causes of Stampedes in India:

1. Overcrowding beyond capacity:
   • Inadequate planning for expected turnout in religious, political, and sports events.
   • Eg: Kumbh Mela stampede, Prayagraj (2013).
2. Trigger events leading to panic:
   • Sudden fall, rumours, or collapse of structures cause crowd surges.
   • Eg: Karur rally (2025) – fall of people from tree onto crowd.
3. Poor infrastructure & bottlenecks:
   • Narrow entry/exit points, weak barricading, absence of crowd dispersal routes.
   • Eg: New Delhi Railway Station FOB stampede (Feb 2025).
4. Administrative lapses:
   • Lack of early warning systems, poor coordination between police, organisers, and civic agencies.
   • Eg: RCB IPL victory parade in Bengaluru (2025).
5. Sociocultural factors:
   • India’s large-scale pilgrimages, religious yatras, and political rallies often involve emotions, making crowds harder to regulate.

Consequences of Stampedes:

• Human cost: Stampedes cause large-scale deaths, crush injuries, and psychological trauma, leaving families devastated and survivors scarred for life.
• Governance deficit: Frequent tragedies expose weak administrative foresight, eroding citizen confidence in the State’s capacity to ensure safety in public gatherings.
• Economic burden: Rescue, rehabilitation, medical care, and compensation packages impose significant financial strain on already stretched government resources.
• International image: Repeated crowd disasters portray India as poorly prepared for mass events, undermining its global reputation as a responsible emerging power.

Comparative Global Perspective:

• South Korea Halloween Stampede (2022) and Germany Love Parade (2010) caused global shock but led to systemic reforms.
• In India, recurrence is frequent, reflecting weak institutional learning.

Challenges in Prevention:

• Event scale & unpredictability: Religious congregations, political rallies, or sporting victories often attract unmanageable crowds, making precise control nearly impossible.
• Low compliance with safety norms: NDMA’s 2014 guidelines on crowd flow, barricading, and exit routes are rarely implemented rigorously by local authorities.
• Coordination gaps: Fragmented responsibilities among police, civic agencies, and organisers result in poor planning and delayed emergency responses.
• Limited use of technology: Tools like AI-based crowd analytics, drone surveillance, and real-time monitoring remain underutilised in managing dense gatherings.
• Public behaviour: People often ignore advisories, rush towards focal points, or panic on rumours, triggering surges that lead to catastrophic crushes.

Way Forward:

• Scientific crowd management:
  • Use of AI-based predictive modelling, sensors, and drone surveillance to monitor density.
  • Deployment of dedicated Crowd Management Units under state police.
• Infrastructure redesign:
  • Wider entry/exit routes, crash barriers, overhead monitoring, and dedicated evacuation corridors.
• Strict accountability framework:
  • Penal provisions under Disaster Management Act for negligent organisers.
  • Real-time audits of event preparedness.
• Community awareness:
  • Mass awareness campaigns on safety protocols during large gatherings.
  • Training of volunteers in first aid and evacuation drills.
• Technology integration:
  • Use of mobile apps for crowd alerts, geo-fencing, and SMS-based advisories.
  • Eg: Kumbh Mela (2019) successfully used GIS mapping for crowd dispersal.
• Learning from best practices:
  • Adoption of “one-way flow” crowd design used at Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
  • Use of real-time digital ticketing for sports/cultural events to avoid oversubscription.

Conclusion:

Stampedes are preventable tragedies arising from poor planning, weak administration, and crowd behaviour. With mass gatherings integral to India’s socio-political life, proactive and tech-driven crowd management is essential. As India moves towards Viksit Bharat 2047, protecting lives must be a core aspect of right to life and good governance.

Reimagining Green Economy through Landscapes

 Syllabus: Energy

 Source:  TH

Context: India’s bioeconomy has grown 16 times in the last decade (2014–2024), reaching $165.7 billion and accounting for 4.25% of GDP, but challenges of rural–urban disparity highlight the need for a landscape-driven green economy model.

About Reimagining Green Economy through Landscapes:

Green Economy:

• A green economy is an economic model that fosters sustainable development while reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.

Features of Green Economy:

• Low carbon: Promotes renewable energy, e-mobility, and energy efficiency to reduce emissions.
• Resource efficiency: Encourages recycling, waste-to-energy, circular economy, and sustainable agriculture.
• Inclusive growth: Integrates women, rural communities, and MSMEs into green value chains.
• Ecosystem restoration: Protects biodiversity, soil health, water resources, and forests.
• Technology-driven: Uses AI, IoT, and digital platforms for monitoring, smart grids, and carbon markets.

Importance of Green Economy:

• Climate resilience: Reduces India’s vulnerability to extreme weather events and ensures food–water security.
• Employment generation: Expected to create 35 million green jobs by 2030, fostering inclusive livelihoods.
• Energy security: Lowers dependence on fossil fuels, promoting self-reliance under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• Global competitiveness: Helps India counter carbon border taxes and expand in sustainable export markets.
• Social equity: Bridges rural–urban divide by enabling clean energy access, sustainable farming, and women’s participation.

Constitutional and Policy:

• Article 21 & 48A: Right to life and State’s duty to protect environment.
• Panchayats (Article 243G): Empowered for local planning including natural resource management.
• Policies & Missions: National Bio-Energy Mission, BioE3 Policy (2024), National Action Plan on Climate Change, Bharat 6G Vision, and MGNREGA’s green infrastructure initiatives.

Emerging Trends in India’s Green Economy:

• Rapid Bioeconomy Growth: Contribution of 4.25% to GDP, with biofuels, bioplastics, and pharmaceuticals leading.
• Ethanol & Renewables Push: Achieved 20% ethanol blending, 250% growth in renewable energy capacity (2015–2021).
• Job Potential: 35 million green jobs by 2030; however, gender gap persists, with women holding only 11% of rooftop solar jobs.
• Rural-Urban Divide: Urban centres attract EVs, green infrastructure, and green jobs; rural areas face slower, inequitable adoption.
• Regional Disparities: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Telangana dominate, while eastern and tribal-rich states remain underrepresented.

Challenges and Trade-offs:

• Disparities in Access:

• Urban areas receive bulk of green investments; rural areas lag in irrigation efficiency, renewable adoption, and clean tech.
• Eg: North-eastern states contribute <6% to bioeconomy despite resource richness.

• Energy Transition Dilemmas:

• Simultaneous push for renewables and fossil fuel subsidies (up to 40%) undermines net gains.
• Solar pumps risk incentivising over-extraction of groundwater.

• Industrial Pressure:

• Hard-to-abate sectors (steel, cement, power) contribute 23% of GHG emissions; green tech costs remain >4x traditional options.

• Socio-economic Risks:

• Rapid transition risks job loss for coal workers, MSMEs, small manufacturers.
• Agriculture-dependent households (58% of rural livelihoods) remain vulnerable to climate variability.

• Gender and Social Gaps:

• Women’s participation in green jobs remains 1–3% in technical roles.
• Tribal and marginal communities remain “beneficiaries” rather than climate leaders.

• Policy Fragmentation:
  • Despite BioE3 and renewable missions, lack of integration across ministries and weak enforcement reduces effectiveness.

Landscape Approach: A Way Forward

• Integrated Planning:
  • View landscapes as systems of land, water, biodiversity, energy, and local markets.
  • Adopt participatory assessments from village to macro-level for ecosystem valuation.
• Institutional Anchoring:
  • Leverage 2.5 lakh PRIs and 12 million women-led SHGs for design, monitoring, and ownership of green transitions.
• Circular & Local Economies:
  • Promote tribal-led bioeconomy models (non-timber forest produce, agri-waste reuse).
• Gender Mainstreaming:
  • Targeted training, leadership roles, and incentives for women in solar, biofuels, and waste-to-energy sectors.
• Green Infrastructure and Innovation:
  • Green budgeting, fiscal incentives, public procurement of sustainable products.
  • Expand 100+ 5G/6G labs for greening digital infrastructure.
• Waste and Resource Management:
  • Urban areas generate 75% of solid waste; rural areas face unsegregated bio + plastic waste.
  • Need for SOPs, decentralised financing, and circular waste economy.

Conclusion:

India’s green transition must move beyond urban-industrial focus towards a landscape-driven, community-based model. Integrating local resources, women’s leadership, and tribal bioeconomy with technology can build resilience. By 2047, India must aim for ecological regeneration, equity, and global climate leadership, not just GDP growth.

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 29 September 2025 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

Radar-Mounted Drones for Surveillance

Context: The Border Security Force (BSF), in collaboration with ISRO, is developing radar-mounted drones to enhance surveillance along India’s western and eastern borders.

About Radar-Mounted Drones for Surveillance:

• What it is?
  • Radar-mounted drones are unmanned aerial systems equipped with compact radars capable of monitoring border areas remotely without crossing international boundaries.
• Aim: To strengthen border security by providing persistent, high-accuracy surveillance across difficult terrains and hostile conditions.
• Features:

• • All-weather capability: Operates in fog, rain, and darkness, unlike visual-only sensors.
  • Real-time alerts: Detects intruders, vehicles, or smuggling attempts instantly for quick troop deployment.
  • High mobility: Can be deployed rapidly in inaccessible or mountainous border areas.
  • Integrated sensor fusion: Scope for combining radar with infrared, high-resolution cameras, and ground sensors.
  • Scalable technology: Allows deployment of multiple drones to cover wider areas during crises.

Relevance in UPSC Exam Syllabus:

• GS Paper II (Governance, Security): Internal security challenges, role of technology in border management, and modernization of paramilitary forces.
• GS Paper III (Science & Technology): Indigenous technological innovation, application of space and drone technologies in defense and surveillance.
• Essay/Ethics: Technology as a force multiplier for national security while balancing privacy and humanitarian concerns.

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 29 September 2025 Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves

Source:  TOI

Context: India’s Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve (Himachal Pradesh) has been included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) at the 37th ICC-MAB session.

About Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves:

• What it is?
  • A high-altitude biosphere reserve (7,770 sq km) in Himachal Pradesh’s Trans-Himalayan region, integrating Pin Valley National Park, Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandratal Wetland and surrounding areas.
  • It is zoned into core, buffer, and transition areas balancing conservation and community livelihoods.
• Located in:

• • Lahaul-Spiti district, Himachal Pradesh
  • Altitude: 3,300–6,600 m
  • Terrain: windswept plateaus, glacial valleys, alpine lakes, and high-altitude desert ecosystems

• History:

• • Established in 2009 as a Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve.
  • Included in UNESCO’s WNBR in 2025, becoming India’s first high-altitude cold desert site in the global network.

• Features

• • Flora: 655 herbs, 41 shrubs, 17 tree species.
    • Includes 14 endemics and 47 medicinal plants vital for Sowa Rigpa/Amchi healing tradition.
  • Fauna: 17 mammals, 119 birds.
    • Flagship species: Snow Leopard, Himalayan wolf, Tibetan antelope, Himalayan ibex.
  • Communities:  ~12,000 residents engaged in pastoralism, yak/goat herding, barley & pea farming, Tibetan herbal medicine.
  • Zonation: Core (2,665 sq km), Buffer (3,977 sq km), Transition (1,128 sq km).
  • Climate: One of the coldest and driest ecosystems in UNESCO’s WNBR.

• Indian and UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves:

• • India has 18 biosphere reserves, of which 13 are now in WNBR.
  • Globally: 785 sites in 142 countries and UNESCO added 26 new reserves in 2025 – highest in 20 years.

• Significance:

• • Global recognition: Enhances India’s role in biodiversity conservation and sustainable mountain ecosystem management.
  • Research hub: Serves as a “living laboratory” for international scientific collaboration.

Two New Ramsar Sites in Bihar

Source:  PIB

Context: India added two new Ramsar sites in Bihar—Gokul Jalashay and Udaipur Jheel— raising the national tally to 93 wetlands of international importance, consolidating India’s top position in Asia.

About Two New Ramsar Sites in Bihar:

1. Gokul Jalashay (Buxar, 448 ha):
   • An oxbow lake on the southern edge of the Ganga.
   • Acts as a flood buffer for nearby villages.
   • Home to 50+ bird species.
   • Supports fishing, farming, irrigation; villagers conduct community-led cleaning rituals annually.
2. Udaipur Jheel (West Champaran, 319 ha):
   • An oxbow lake surrounding a village.
   • 280+ plant species, including Alysicarpus roxburghianus (endemic herb).
   • Important wintering ground for ~35 migratory birds, incl. vulnerable Common Pochard.

About Ramsar Sites:

• What it is?
  • Wetland sites of international importance under the Ramsar Convention (1971), promoting conservation and sustainable use.
• Origin: Signed in Ramsar, Iran (1971); came into force in 1975 under UNESCO.
• Aim: Protect wetlands as critical ecosystems for biodiversity, water security, flood control, and livelihoods.
• Key Features:
  • Provides framework for national action + international cooperation.
  • Identifies wetlands vital for rare ecosystems, migratory birds, endangered species, fisheries, and hydrological balance.

India and Ramsar Sites:

• Current total (Sept 2025): 93 wetlands across 13.6 lakh hectares.
• Growth: 26 (2012) → 93 (2025), with 51 sites added since 2020.
• Global Standing:
  • India: 3rd in the world (after UK – 176, Mexico – 144).
  • Asia: 1st in number of Ramsar sites.
• Bihar: Now has 5 Ramsar sites (with the new additions).

AstroSat – India’s First Space Observatory

Source:  TH

Context: AstroSat, India’s first multi-wavelength space observatory, has completed 10 years in orbit since its launch on 28 September 2015 by PSLV-C30.

About AstroSat – India’s First Space Observatory:

• What it is?

• • India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space astronomy observatory, capable of observing the universe in UV, visible, soft X-ray, and hard X-ray bands simultaneously.
  • A collaborative project of ISRO and premier Indian research institutes with international partners (Canada, UK).

• Launched in:

• • Date: 28 September 2015.
  • Launch Vehicle: PSLV-C30 (XL configuration).
  • Launch Site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

• Aim:

• • To enable simultaneous multi-band observations of celestial phenomena.
  • To provide Indian astronomers with space-based capabilities, reducing dependence on foreign observatories.
  • To contribute to global astronomy research through open access to scientists worldwide.

• Features:

• • Payloads (5):
    • Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT)
    • Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC)
    • Cadmium–Zinc–Telluride Imager (CZTI)
    • Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT)
    • Scanning Sky Monitor (SSM)
  • Discoveries & Contributions:
    • Solved a puzzle about a red giant star’s unusual brightness.
    • Detected far-UV photons from galaxies ~9 billion light years away.
    • Showed extended emission of the Butterfly Nebula.
    • Discovered fast-spinning black holes and studied X-ray binaries.
    • Conducted X-ray polarization studies and captured galaxy mergers.

• Significance:

• • Scientific Breakthroughs: Provided India with a world-class astronomy platform, contributing to black hole, neutron star, and galaxy studies.
  • Capacity Building: Nurtured new generation of Indian astronomers, with half the users being students/researchers from India.

BSNL’s Swadeshi 4G Network Stack

Source:  LM

Context: Prime Minister of India launched BSNL’s fully indigenous 4G network stack and commissioned ~98,000 mobile towers.

• This makes India the fifth country globally to build and deploy its own telecom stack, reinforcing the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.

About BSNL’s Swadeshi 4G Network Stack:

What it is?

• India’s first fully indigenous 4G telecom stack, developed under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission.
• Provides end-to-end cloud-native, 5G-ready architecture for mobile communications.

Organisations Involved:

• Core Network – Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT).
• Radio Access Network (RAN) – Tejas Networks.
• Integration & Deployment – Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
• Implemented by BSNL with government support.

Aim:

• To achieve strategic autonomy and digital sovereignty in telecom infrastructure.
• To expand universal digital connectivity, covering remote, border, and tribal areas.
• To reduce dependency on foreign vendors and promote domestic manufacturing.

How it works?

• Cloud-native architecture allows seamless upgrades.
• End-to-end Indian stack ensures secure communication and better resilience.
• 4G towers deployed by BSNL are directly upgradable to 5G without large-scale hardware replacement.

Features:

• Fully indigenous stack: hardware + software made in India.
• Scalability: cloud-native design ensures rapid expansion and upgrades.
• Future-ready: architecture is 5G-capable and lays foundation for 6G adoption.
• Applications supported: digital payments, telemedicine, e-governance, online education, precision farming.

Significance:

• Strategic Autonomy: Reduces foreign dependence; enhances national security in critical telecom.
• Employment & Supply Chains: Creates jobs, strengthens local manufacturing, nurtures Indian R&D.
• Digital Inclusion: Connects 29,000–30,000 remote villages under Digital Bharat Nidhi.

Government Guidelines for EV Charging Stations

Source:  TOI

Context: The Centre has issued fresh guidelines for setting up 72,300 public EV charging stations across India with ₹2,000 crore support under the PM E-DRIVE scheme.

About Government Guidelines for EV Charging Stations:

What it is?

• A policy framework unveiled by the Ministry of Heavy Industries to accelerate installation of public EV charging infrastructure across India.

Under Scheme:

• Implemented under the ₹10,900 crore PM E-DRIVE scheme, with BHEL designated as the Project Implementation Agency (PIA).

Aim:

• To expand India’s EV ecosystem by building an accessible and affordable charging network.
• To reduce range anxiety, promote clean mobility, and align with India’s net-zero targets.

Key Features:

1. Subsidy Support:
   • 100% subsidy for charging stations in govt premises, schools, hospitals, residential colonies (with free public access).
   • 80% subsidy on infrastructure and 70% on charging equipment at high-traffic sites like airports, metro hubs, toll plazas, oil PSUs.
   • 80% subsidy for shopping malls, highway outlets, and battery-swapping stations.
2. Priority Locations:
   • Cities with population above 1 million, state capitals, smart cities, metro-linked towns, and high-density corridors.
   • Public transport hubs (railway stations, airports, bus depots, fuel stations).
3. Implementation Mechanism:
   • Nodal agencies to aggregate demand, identify sites, and submit proposals via a dedicated portal.
   • Subsidy released in two phases tied to compliance and performance benchmarks.
4. Coverage:
   • National rollout targeting 72,300 charging stations with ₹2,000 crore support.

Men’s Cricket Asia Cup 2025

Source:  NDTV

Context: India clinched its record 9th Asia Cup title by defeating Pakistan in the 2025 final at Dubai, with Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 69 anchoring the chase.

About Men’s Cricket Asia Cup 2025:

• What it is?

• • A continental men’s cricket championship organised biennially to determine Asia’s top team.
  • Matches are accorded official ODI or T20I status by the ICC.

• Organised by:

• • Conducted under the aegis of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), established in 1983 to promote goodwill and cooperation through cricket.

• Mascot:

• • The official mascot for Asia Cup 2025 was “Sheru”, symbolising strength, courage, and unity of Asian cricket.

• History:

• • Inaugurated in 1984, the Asia Cup is the only continental cricket tournament.
  • Hosted on a rotational basis; played alternately in ODI and T20I formats since 2016.
  • Political tensions have occasionally led to boycotts.

• Key Features

• • Edition: 17th Asia Cup (2025), hosted in the UAE due to India-Pakistan tensions.
  • Format: T20 International (T20I), with 8 teams including ACC full members.
  • Outcome: India beat Pakistan by 5 wickets.

• Man of the Match (Final): Tilak Varma (unbeaten 69 off 53)
• Man of the Series: Abhishek Sharma

• India and Asia Cup:

• • India is the most successful team: 9 titles (7 in ODI, 2 in T20I).
  • Sri Lanka follows with 6 titles, Pakistan with 2.
  • India has remained undefeated against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025.

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 29 September 2025 Mapping:

Musi River

Source:  NIE

Context: Musi river in spate after heavy rains and water release from Osman Sagar & Himayat Sagar caused flooding in Hyderabad, submerging localities and bus stations.

About Musi River:

• What it is?

• • A major tributary of the Krishna River, also called Muchukunda or Musunuru River.
  • Passes through Hyderabad, dividing the historic Old City and the newer city.

• Origin: Originates from the Ananthagiri Hills near Vikarabad, Telangana.
• Flow Through:

• • Flows eastward across Telangana, turning south at Chittaloor.
  • Joins the Krishna River at Vadapally, near Miryalaguda in Nalgonda district.

• Tributary of: Krishna River (Deccan Plateau River system).
• Features:

• • Reservoirs: Forms Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar—artificial lakes created as reservoirs to supply drinking water to Hyderabad & Secunderabad.
  • Urban Role: Runs through Hyderabad city, historically shaping its settlement pattern.
  • Flood-Prone: Vulnerable to heavy rains and sudden reservoir releases, as seen in recent floods.

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