28 March 2025

• Environment: Coastal erosion affects 33.6 per cent of India's 7,500 km coastline, with 16 million fisherfolk at risk.
• Economy: Technical textiles are India's next manufacturing frontier, with a global market of 350 billion US dollars.
• History: Vikramashila University, founded by the Pala dynasty's Dharmapala, was highlighted in cultural heritage discussions.
• Space: ESA's Gaia mission will have its final data release in 2025, cataloguing 2 billion stars.
• Defence: The Nag Missile System (NAMIS) received a 2,500 crore rupee procurement order.

GS area: Environment (Coastal), Disaster Management

India's National Centre for Coastal Research reported that 33.6 per cent of India's 7,500 km coastline is under erosion.

• Total coastline: 7,516 km (mainland). Including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep: about 11,099 km.
• Erosion extent: 33.6 per cent eroding; 26.9 per cent accreting; 39.6 per cent stable.
• Most affected states: Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal (Sundarbans), Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
• Causes: Sea-level rise, storm surges, reduced sediment supply (from dams blocking river sediment), sand mining, loss of mangroves and coral reefs.
• Fisherfolk at risk: About 16 million fishers and coastal community members depend on stable coastlines.
• CRZ Notification 2019: The Coastal Regulation Zone notification restricts construction and activities near coastlines to protect the ecology.
• Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM): World Bank-supported programme that India has been implementing since 2010.

Static linkage: Environment (coastal ecology), disaster management.

GS area: Economy (Industry, Manufacturing)

India's technical textiles sector was highlighted as a strategic priority with a 350 billion US dollar global market.

• Technical textiles: Functional fabrics used in sectors other than clothing and home furnishings. Categories: medical (medtech), agricultural (agrotech), safety (protech), construction (buildtech), sports (sportech) and others.
• National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM): 4-year mission (2020-2023, extended). Budget: 1,480 crore rupees.
• India's market share: About 7 per cent of the global 350 billion US dollar market.
• Target: 40 billion US dollars by 2030 (India's technical textiles exports).
• Import dependence: India imports geo-textiles, medical textiles and specialty technical fibres.
• Kevlar and Aramid: High-strength synthetic fibres used in bulletproof vests and aerospace. India is developing domestic production.
• PLI Scheme for textiles: 10,683 crore rupees outlay under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for man-made fibre and technical textiles.

Static linkage: Economy (manufacturing, textiles).

GS area: History (Ancient India, Buddhism)

A planned archaeological revival project at Vikramashila University site in Bihar was discussed.

• Founded by: King Dharmapala (770-810 CE), founder of the Pala dynasty.
• Location: Antichak village, Bhagalpur district, Bihar. On the banks of the Ganga.
• Period: Major Buddhist university from 8th to 12th century CE.
• Specialisation: Vajrayana (Tantric) Buddhism. Different from Nalanda's focus.
• Destruction: Destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1203 CE (same raid that destroyed Nalanda).
• Famous alumni/teachers: Atisa Dipamkara (11th century, later went to Tibet to revive Buddhism there).
• Comparison with Nalanda: Both Pala dynasty institutions. Nalanda (Rajgir area) was founded by the Gupta period. Vikramashila was later and specialized in Tantric Buddhism.

Static linkage: History (ancient India, Buddhism, Pala dynasty).

GS area: Science and Technology (Space, Astronomy)

ESA's Gaia space observatory was set to release its final data catalogue in 2025.

• Gaia mission: Launched 2013 by the European Space Agency (ESA). Stationed at Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 2 (L2).
• Purpose: Create the most precise 3D map of the Milky Way galaxy.
• Data: Over 2 billion stars catalogued. 1.5 lakh asteroids, exoplanets and binary stars included.
• DR3 (Data Release 3, 2022): Included composition, age and velocity data for 1.5 billion stars.
• Final release (DR4/DR5): 2025. The most complete stellar catalogue ever assembled.
• Applications: Understanding galaxy formation, dark matter distribution, stellar evolution.
• L2 point: Same orbital position as JWST. Allows stable observations shielded from Earth.

Static linkage: Science and technology (astronomy, space).

GS area: Science and Technology (Defence)

The Ministry of Defence approved a procurement of the Nag Missile System (NAMIS) worth 2,500 crore rupees.

• Nag Missile: Indigenously developed anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). Fire-and-forget. Third generation.
• Developer: DRDO. Produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
• NAMIS: Nag Missile System consists of the Nag missile, Namica (Nag Missile Carrier) and support equipment.
• Range: 500 metres to 4 km.
• Guidance: Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker. All-weather, day and night operation.
• Platform: Namica is a BMP-2 based amphibious carrier.
• DRDO category: IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured).

Static linkage: Science and technology (defence), economy.

GS area: Economy (Biotechnology, Start-ups)

BIRAC's BioSaarthi programme completed its latest six-month mentoring cohort.

• BioSaarthi: A mentoring programme by BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) for biotech entrepreneurs.
• Duration: 6-month cohort.
• Support: Connects start-ups with industry mentors, regulatory experts and investors.
• BIRAC: Under the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.
• BIG (Biotechnology Ignition Grant): BIRAC's seed funding scheme. Up to 50 lakh rupees for early-stage biotech ideas.
• India's biotech exports: 12 billion US dollars in FY2024.

Static linkage: Economy (biotechnology, start-ups).

GS area: Governance, Culture

A Parliamentary Standing Committee recommended a PPP model for recovering stolen Indian heritage artefacts from overseas.

• Scale of theft: Estimates suggest 50,000 Indian artefacts are held overseas in private collections and museums.
• Recent repatriations: 297 artefacts returned from the US in 2023 (during PM Modi's state visit). Australia, UK and Germany have also returned some items.
• INTERPOL: Works with national agencies to recover stolen cultural property. India's CBI coordinates with INTERPOL on heritage theft.
• UNESCO Convention 1970: International convention on illicit trafficking of cultural property. India ratified.
• ASI: Archaeological Survey of India. Identifies and pursues recovery of cultural property.
• PPP model recommendation: Public-private partnership for legal pursuit and diplomacy to recover artefacts.

Static linkage: Culture, governance (heritage protection).

• Maasai carbon credit dispute: Maasai communities in Tanzania and Kenya sought direct control over carbon credit revenues from grassland conservation projects.
• Silvaguard by Dryad Networks: A sensor technology company launched Silvaguard, an IoT-based illegal chainsaw detection system in forests.