18 February 2023

• Science: Researchers confirmed that ancient lunar basaltic meteorites originated from a previously unknown, shallow part of the Moon's interior.
• Polity: BBC's India documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots and the Hindenburg Research Adani report led to a discussion of India managing external criticism and perceptions.
• Social issues: World Pangolin Day (third Saturday of February). India recorded 1,203 pangolins trafficked between 2018 and 2022. Pangolin is among the world's most trafficked mammals.
• Security: India-Japan Dharma Guardian Exercise (4th edition, held in Japan). UAPA updated with two new designated terrorist organisations.

GS area: Science and Technology

Scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL, Ahmedabad), the US and Japan confirmed new findings from ancient lunar basaltic meteorites:

• Finding: the meteorites originated from a "cool, shallow, and compositionally distinct" part of the Moon's interior, through a process of low-pressure melting. This region was not previously identified as a basalt source.
• PRL's role: the Physical Research Laboratory under the Department of Space (ISRO's sister institution) is India's premier planetary science institution.
• Basalts on the Moon: most of the Moon's surface basalts are thought to have formed in ancient volcanism, with magma rising from the deep mantle. This new finding suggests a shallower, cooler origin for a class of lunar basalts.
• Significance for planetary science: revises models of the Moon's volcanic and thermal history. Relevant to understanding the early solar system.
• Chandrayaan missions: India's lunar exploration programme. Chandrayaan-1 detected water ice evidence at the lunar poles. Chandrayaan-3 (upcoming in 2023) was targeting the lunar south pole.

Static linkage: Science and Technology (ISRO, planetary science, Moon).

GS area: Polity, Society

The Special Marriage Act (SMA) 1954 was discussed in the context of states attempting to apply religious personal laws to registered civil marriages:

• Purpose: provides a civil marriage framework that bypasses religious personal laws. Any two persons, regardless of religion, can marry under SMA without converting to each other's faith.
• Applies to: Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists and persons with no religion.
• Age of marriage: 21 years for males, 18 years for females. (Under discussion for equalisation to 21 for women.)
• Procedure: the couple must give a 30-day notice to the Marriage Officer in the district where one of them has resided for at least 30 days. The notice is displayed publicly.
• Criticism of the 30-day notice: it enables family and community interference in interfaith couples' marriage plans. The Supreme Court has been asked to reconsider whether public display of the notice is constitutional given the right to privacy (K.S. Puttaswamy, 2017).
• Distinction from personal laws: marriages under SMA are governed by the Indian Succession Act for inheritance, not by Hindu Succession Act or Muslim personal law.

Static linkage: Polity (family law, civil marriage, right to privacy, interfaith relations).

GS area: Environment (wildlife)

World Pangolin Day (third Saturday of February each year) highlighted India's wildlife trafficking data:

• Scale of trafficking: 1,203 pangolins trafficked in India between 2018 and 2022.
• Species: India has two species of pangolin. The Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) found across the subcontinent, and the Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) in the northeastern forests.
• Protection: both species are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, giving them the highest level of legal protection. Both are also in CITES Appendix I (commercial trade banned).
• IUCN status: Indian Pangolin is Endangered. Chinese Pangolin is Critically Endangered.
• Why they are trafficked: pangolin scales (made of keratin) are used in traditional Chinese medicine despite no proven efficacy. Pangolin meat is considered a delicacy. Demand is overwhelmingly from East and Southeast Asian markets.
• Ecological role: pangolins are the world's only scaly mammals. They consume termites and ants at high rates, regulating insect populations and aerating soil.

Static linkage: Environment (wildlife, trafficking, CITES, Schedule I species).

GS area: International Relations, Science and Technology

The first global summit on Responsible AI in Military (REAIM) was held in The Hague, Netherlands:

• Date: February 2023.
• Purpose: the first multilateral forum to address the use of artificial intelligence in military contexts. Focused on standards for autonomous weapons systems and AI decision-making in armed conflict.
• India's position: India participated. India has been developing AI applications for defence but has not officially committed to specific restrictions on autonomous weapons.
• Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS): the central controversy at REAIM. Critics argue AI systems should not have the power to select and engage targets without meaningful human control. Proponents argue human-in-the-loop requirements may be impractical in high-speed warfare.
• International Humanitarian Law: LAWS must comply with IHL principles: distinction (between combatants and civilians), proportionality, and precaution.

Static linkage: International Relations (AI governance, defence technology, international law).

GS area: Internal Security, Polity

Two new organisations were designated as terrorist organisations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA):

• Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF): a Sikh separatist group. Designated following increased activities linked to the Khalistan movement in early 2023.
• Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF): a militant group. Newly designated under UAPA.
• Total: 44 organisations now designated as terrorist organisations under UAPA (as of February 2023).
• UAPA Section 35: the Central Government can designate an organisation as terrorist if it believes it is involved in terrorism. No prior judicial approval required; subject to review by a three-member review committee.
• UAPA amendments 2019: introduced the power to designate individuals (not just organisations) as terrorists.

Static linkage: Internal Security (UAPA, terrorism, Khalistan).

GS area: Economy, Science and Technology

An OECD-linked study ranked India first among G20 and OECD nations on an AI penetration factor of 3.09:

• AI penetration factor: measures how deeply AI is integrated across sectors relative to the economy's size and digital readiness.
• India at 3.09: highest in the G20/OECD. This reflects rapid adoption of AI tools in fintech, agriculture, healthcare diagnostics and customer service.
• Demand-supply gap: a 51 per cent gap between demand for AI professionals and available talent in India. Lower than the gaps in the US and UK (where the supply shortage is more acute relative to demand).
• Projected need: 1 million data science and AI professionals in India by 2024.
• Budget 2023-24: three AI Centres of Excellence were announced to build domestic AI talent.

Static linkage: Economy, Science and Technology (AI, digital economy, skills).

• Jal Jan Abhiyan: water conservation campaign jointly run by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Brahma Kumaris spiritual organisation. Promotes community-based water conservation.
• Lead poisoning: 23 Indian states have blood lead levels in children exceeding WHO's safe limit of 5 micrograms per decilitre. Lead exposure contributes 4.6 million Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) annually in India, primarily from batteries, paint and smelting.
• Dharma Guardian Exercise: the 4th edition of the annual India-Japan bilateral army exercise. Held in Japan. Focus on counterterrorism and joint operations in jungle/hilly terrain.