10 May 2024

• Space weather: A G5 (extreme) geomagnetic storm, the strongest in 21 years, struck Earth on 10-11 May. Red auroral emissions were visible at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Ladakh.
• Energy: India surpassed Japan to become the world's third-largest solar electricity generator in 2023.
• Polity: The Supreme Court Constitution Bench continued hearings on Article 39(b), examining whether private resources fall within "material resources of the community."
• Exports: India became a net exporter of medical consumables in FY2022-23, reflecting growth in health manufacturing under Make in India.

GS area: Science and Technology (Astronomy, Space Weather)

A G5-rated geomagnetic storm, the most severe classification on the NOAA scale, struck Earth on 10-11 May 2024. It was the strongest geomagnetic event since 2003.

• NOAA Geomagnetic Storm Scale: Runs from G1 (Minor) to G5 (Extreme). A G5 event causes widespread power grid fluctuations, damage to satellites, radio blackouts, and visible auroras at very low latitudes.
• Cause: A cluster of X-class solar flares (the most powerful class) erupted from two Active Regions on the Sun during 3-9 May. These produced multiple Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), which are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun's corona.
• CME versus solar flare: A solar flare is a burst of electromagnetic radiation (light, X-rays). A CME is a physical ejection of solar plasma. CMEs travel at 100 to 3,000 km per second and, when directed at Earth, compress the magnetosphere and trigger geomagnetic storms.
• Aurora borealis: Geomagnetic storms push the auroral oval to lower latitudes. Red and green auroral emissions were photographed at the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) at Hanle, Ladakh. Hanle is at approximately 4,500 m altitude, operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, under the Department of Science and Technology.
• Effects: Power grids in high-latitude countries experienced voltage fluctuations. GPS accuracy was degraded. High-frequency radio communications were disrupted.
• Solar Cycle 25: The current solar cycle peaked around 2024-2025, explaining the high frequency of major solar events.

Static linkage: Space weather, solar science, IAO Hanle, NOAA.

GS area: Economy (Energy), Environment

Data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and IRENA confirmed that India became the world's third-largest solar electricity generator in 2023, surpassing Japan.

• Ranking: China is first, the United States second, India third in solar electricity generation.
• Generation: India produced over 108,000 GWh of solar power in 2023.
• Installed capacity: India had approximately 73 GW of solar capacity as of early 2024. In total installed capacity, India ranked fifth globally.
• Target: India aims for 500 GW of non-fossil fuel based electricity capacity by 2030, part of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.
• Key schemes: National Solar Mission (part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change); PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan, solar energy for farmers); Production-Linked Incentive for solar modules.
• IRENA: The International Renewable Energy Agency, headquartered in Abu Dhabi (UAE), tracks global renewable energy statistics.

Static linkage: Renewable energy, India's climate targets, international energy institutions.

GS area: Polity (Constitutional Law)

The nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court continued hearing arguments in the Property Owners Association v. State of Maharashtra case, centring on the meaning of "material resources of the community" under Article 39(b).

• Article 39(b): Directive Principle directing the state to distribute material resources to subserve the common good. No definition of "material resources" appears in the text.
• Two positions: One view (supported by some older judgments) holds that Article 39(b) can extend to privately owned resources, giving the state broad redistributive power. The other view confines it to community-owned or public resources.
• Article 31C: A law implementing Article 39(b) is shielded from challenge under Articles 14 and 19 by Article 31C.
• Article 300A: Property is now a legal right, not a fundamental right. The state can deprive a person of property only by authority of law. Article 300A could be relevant if the court narrows Article 39(b)'s scope.
• Stakes: A broad interpretation could allow states to acquire and redistribute privately held land, industrial assets, or mines. A narrow interpretation would limit redistribution to public resources.

Static linkage: Fundamental Rights versus Directive Principles, eminent domain, constitutional interpretation.

GS area: Economy (Health Manufacturing)

India became a net exporter of medical consumables and disposables in FY2022-23, with exports of USD 1.6 billion against imports of USD 1.1 billion.

• Medical consumables: Items used once or for a short period in clinical settings: syringes, gloves, catheters, bandages, test kits, and similar products.
• PLI scheme: The Production-Linked Incentive scheme for medical devices, jointly administered by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Pharmaceuticals, has incentivised domestic manufacturing.
• AtmaNirbhar Bharat: The medical consumable export surplus reflects progress under the broader goal of reducing import dependence in healthcare manufacturing.
• India's pharma rank: India is the world's largest supplier of generic medicines by volume, supplying approximately 20 per cent of global generics exports.

Static linkage: Make in India, health manufacturing, PLI schemes.

GS area: Economy (Capital Flows)

Data showed that while gross FDI into India declined, repatriation and disinvestment by foreign investors increased, squeezing net FDI.

• Gross FDI: Total capital inflow from foreign investors before accounting for any outflows.
• Net FDI: Gross FDI minus repatriation of dividends and profits, minus disinvestment (foreigners selling Indian assets). Net FDI is the economically meaningful measure of new investment.
• Drivers of decline: Global risk aversion, high US interest rates attracting capital back to developed markets, and domestic election uncertainty were cited.
• India VIX: The India Volatility Index measures expected volatility of the Nifty 50 index over the next 30 days. Higher VIX signals greater uncertainty, deterring foreign portfolio investors.
• Contrast with FPI: Foreign Portfolio Investment (stock and bond market money) is shorter-term and more sensitive to interest rate differentials. FDI is longer-term equity in projects and businesses.

Static linkage: Foreign investment, capital account, economic governance.

• BRO's Nimmu-Padam-Darcha Road: The Nimmu-Padam-Darcha road in Ladakh (298 km), providing the third all-weather road axis to Ladakh, was completed in March 2024. The Shinku La Tunnel will extend this axis. Both projects are under BRO.
• Anti-dumping: Vietnam and India: The United States classifies both Vietnam and India as "non-market economies" for anti-dumping purposes. This allows the US to apply surrogate country data when calculating anti-dumping duties, often resulting in higher tariffs. Both countries have been seeking reclassification.
• India's UN counter-terrorism contribution: India contributed USD 500,000 to the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) Trust Fund. India is an active participant in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and consistently advocates for a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the UN.