31 May 2024

• Economy: India's GDP grew at 7.8 per cent in Q4 FY2024 (January-March 2024). Full year FY2024 GDP growth was 8.2 per cent, making India the fastest-growing major economy.
• Defence: DRDO tested the RudraM-II air-to-surface anti-radiation missile from a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft.
• Space: Japan announced LignoSat, the world's first wooden satellite, built from magnolia wood. Launch was planned for later in 2024.
• Migrant Labour: India assumed chairmanship of the Colombo Process for 2024-2026, a forum for Asian labour-sending countries.

GS area: Economy (Macroeconomics, National Accounting)

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the provisional estimates for Q4 FY2024 (January-March 2024) and the full fiscal year FY2024.

• Q4 FY2024 growth: 7.8 per cent (year-on-year). This exceeded most analyst projections of 6.5-7.5 per cent, driven by strong construction activity, government capex, and manufacturing.
• Full year FY2024 GDP growth: 8.2 per cent, the highest of any major economy for that year.
• GDP at current prices: Approximately Rs 295 lakh crore (approximately USD 3.57 trillion). At constant prices (FY2012 base), GDP was approximately Rs 173 lakh crore.
• Per capita income: India's per capita GDP in FY2024 crossed approximately USD 2,500, still below middle-income threshold of USD 4,000 (World Bank definition).
• Fastest-growing major economy: Among G20 economies, India's 8.2 per cent growth exceeded China (5.2 per cent), the US (2.5 per cent), and all EU economies.
• Sectoral breakdown:
  • Agriculture and allied activities: 1.4 per cent (below average, affected by uneven monsoon).
  • Industry (manufacturing + construction): 9.5 per cent.
  • Services (trade, finance, real estate, public administration): 7.6 per cent.
• Government capex: Record government capital expenditure (Rs 10 lakh crore in FY2024) in infrastructure (roads, railways, airports) was a major driver of GDP growth.
• IMF projections: IMF had projected India's FY2025 growth at 6.8 per cent, citing a structural slowdown from the high FY2024 base.

Static linkage: GDP, national accounts, MoSPI, sectoral growth, government capex.

GS area: Science and Technology (Defence, Aerospace)

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the RudraM-II air-launched anti-radiation missile from a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI combat aircraft.

• RudraM-II: An air-to-surface anti-radiation missile (ARM). Anti-radiation missiles home in on enemy radar emissions, targeting air defence radar systems.
• Anti-radiation missile concept: ARMs use a passive seeker that detects the radio-frequency emissions of enemy radar. When fired, they home in on the radar signal. If the enemy radar switches off, the missile "remembers" the last position and continues tracking.
• RudraM-I vs RudraM-II: RudraM-I (tested 2020-2022) is a lighter ARM with shorter range. RudraM-II is a heavier, longer-range system with a larger warhead.
• Platform: Su-30 MKI is the primary air superiority and strike aircraft of the Indian Air Force. Built at HAL Nashik under licence from Russia's Sukhoi/UAC.
• DRDO: Defence Research and Development Organisation, under the Ministry of Defence. Conducts R&D for the armed forces. The Missile Systems Quality Assurance Agency (MSQAA) certifies missiles for induction.
• Testing site: Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur-on-Sea, Balasore district, Odisha. ITR is a national missile testing facility also used for Brahmos, Akash, and SMART tests.
• SEAD: Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) is the military mission ARMs support. RudraM-II enhances India's SEAD capability against adversary air defence networks.

Static linkage: DRDO, anti-radiation missiles, IAF, missile testing.

GS area: Science and Technology (Space, Materials)

Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry (Japan) announced LignoSat, described as the world's first wooden satellite, built from magnolia (honoki) wood.

• Why wood in space: Wood does not block electromagnetic waves, making it excellent for housing antennas and communication equipment inside the satellite. Metal satellite bodies require apertures (holes) for antennas. Additionally, wooden satellites burn up completely on re-entry, leaving no metallic debris.
• Material: Magnolia (Magnolia obovata, known as honoki in Japanese) was selected after testing multiple wood species in simulated space conditions. Wood proved surprisingly resistant to extreme temperature cycling, vacuum, and cosmic radiation.
• Satellite type: LignoSat is a CubeSat (approximately 10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm), the small standardised format for research satellites.
• Debris advantage: As wooden satellites burn completely on atmospheric re-entry, they generate no metallic particles that could contribute to orbital debris. This aligns with the Zero Debris Charter signed by ESA members in May 2024.
• Space environment testing: Astronaut Koji Wakata carried wood samples on the ISS to test their durability over months in the space environment before the satellite design was finalised.
• JAXA: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Japan's space agency supported the academic research.

Static linkage: Space debris, materials science, satellite technology.

GS area: International Relations (Labour, Diaspora)

India assumed the chairmanship of the Colombo Process for the 2024-2026 biennium.

• Colombo Process: A regional consultative process on the management of overseas employment and contractual labour for countries of origin in Asia. Established in 2003 at a ministerial consultation in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• 12 member states: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
• Mandate: Protecting the rights and welfare of migrant workers, sharing information on labour markets, preventing trafficking, and improving remittance flows.
• India as labour-sending nation: India has the world's largest diaspora (32 million overseas). India's overseas remittances were approximately USD 120 billion in 2023 (highest globally), with major sources in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the US, UK, and Canada.
• e-Migrate system: India's online migration registration system for workers going to ECR (Emigration Check Required) countries (primarily Gulf states). ECR countries require emigration clearance from the Protector of Emigrants for unskilled and semi-skilled workers.
• Ministry of External Affairs: Overseas Indian Affairs (OIA) division under MEA handles diaspora policy. The e-Migrate system is under MEA.

Static linkage: Labour migration, remittances, Indian diaspora, MEA.

GS area: Science and Technology (Space Astronomy)

ISRO's Daksha space telescope, launched in 2023, provided significant data on gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) in May 2024.

• Daksha: A space telescope built by IIT Bombay and ISRO, designed to detect X-ray and gamma-ray transients including GRBs, neutron star mergers, and solar flares.
• GRBs: Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most energetic explosions in the universe. Short GRBs (lasting under 2 seconds) are produced by mergers of neutron star pairs (binary neutron star mergers or neutron star-black hole mergers).
• Neutron star mergers and gravitational waves: The first observed gravitational wave event from a neutron star merger (GW170817, 2017) was detected by LIGO-Virgo and simultaneously by Fermi Gamma-ray Telescope and INTEGRAL in gamma rays. Daksha is designed to serve a similar gamma-ray monitoring role for LIGO-India.
• LIGO-India: The Indian Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, planned at a site in Aundha, Maharashtra. Expected to come online in the late 2020s. Will form a global network with LIGO-Hanford, LIGO-Livingston, Virgo (Italy), and KAGRA (Japan).
• Dual satellite concept: A second Daksha satellite in a complementary orbit was proposed to ensure all-sky coverage for transient event detection.

Static linkage: GRBs, gravitational waves, LIGO-India, ISRO, space science.

• RBI PRAVAAH portal (update): RBI's PRAVAAH (Platform for Regulatory Application, Validation and Authorisation) portal processed its first batch of regulatory applications in May 2024. It covers banking licences, NBFC registrations, payment system operator approvals, and more, consolidating what were previously disparate paper-based processes.
• Lok Sabha Phase 7 (1 June 2024 approaching): The final phase covered 57 constituencies in Punjab (13), UP (13), West Bengal (9), Bihar (8), Himachal Pradesh (4), Jharkhand (3), Odisha (6), and Chandigarh (1). The conclusion of Phase 7 would trigger the exit poll publication ban lift.
• RBI G-Sec Mobile App: RBI launched a mobile application enabling retail investors to directly buy and sell government securities (G-Secs) through RBI's Retail Direct scheme. The Retail Direct scheme allows individual investors to open a Government Securities Account (Gilt Account) directly with RBI, eliminating brokers.