31 March 2025

• Economy: Energy Statistics India 2025 reported primary energy consumption grew 7.8 per cent, with coal contributing 79 per cent.
• Environment: The International Seabed Authority's 2025 deadline for deep-sea mining regulations arrived without consensus.
• Culture: Sarhul Festival, the Spring festival of Oraon, Munda and Santal tribes, was observed in Jharkhand and Bengal.
• Mathematics: Abel Prize 2025 was awarded to Japanese mathematician Masaki Kashiwara.
• Military Exercise: INDRA (India-Russia) and INIOCHOS-25 (India-Greece) exercises concluded this week.

GS area: Economy (Energy)

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released Energy Statistics India 2025.

• Primary energy consumption growth: 7.8 per cent increase (FY2024-25 vs FY2023-24).
• Total primary energy supply: 9,03,158 KToE (kilo tonnes of oil equivalent).
• Coal share: 79 per cent of primary energy supply. Thermal coal from domestic production (CIL plus captive mines).
• Renewable energy installed capacity: India crossed 200 GW of renewable (solar + wind + small hydro) capacity.
• Per capita energy consumption: India's per capita energy consumption is about 700 kg oil equivalent (global average: 1,900 kg oe). Headroom for growth underlines energy demand projections.
• Energy intensity: India's energy intensity (energy per unit GDP) has improved, suggesting growing efficiency.
• India's NDC: 500 GW non-fossil energy by 2030. Net zero by 2070.

Static linkage: Economy (energy), environment.

GS area: Environment (Marine), International Relations

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) faced its 2025 deadline to finalise regulations for commercial deep-sea mining without reaching consensus.

• ISA: International Seabed Authority. Established under UNCLOS, 1982. Regulates mineral extraction from the deep seabed ("the Area") beyond national jurisdiction.
• Nodule fields: Polymetallic nodules on the Pacific Ocean floor contain manganese, cobalt, nickel and copper, critical for EV batteries.
• 2025 deadline: Under the 2021 "two-year rule" triggered by Nauru, the ISA was required to finalise mining regulations by 2025.
• No consensus: Deep environmental concerns (impacts on deep-sea biodiversity undisturbed for 40-plus million years) prevented agreement.
• India's ISB: India holds exploration rights (Pioneer Investor status since 1987) for a polymetallic nodule site in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB).
• DSMIA: Deep-sea Mining Interests of India are managed through NIOT (National Institute of Ocean Technology), Chennai.

Static linkage: Environment (marine), international relations (UNCLOS).

GS area: Science and Technology (Mathematics)

The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters awarded the Abel Prize 2025 to Masaki Kashiwara of Kyoto University.

• Abel Prize: Annual prize for outstanding contributions in mathematics. Named after Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel.
• Prize value: 7.5 million Norwegian kroner (about 50 lakh US dollars).
• Awarded by: Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
• Masaki Kashiwara: Japanese mathematician. Known for developing D-module theory (a branch of algebraic analysis). Proved the Kazhdan-Lusztig conjecture.
• Fields Medal vs Abel Prize: Fields Medal is awarded to mathematicians under 40 (every 4 years). Abel Prize has no age limit (annual).
• First Indian Abel Prize winner: None yet. S. R. Srinivasa Varadhan won the Abel Prize in 2007 (he is of Indian origin but identified as American).

Static linkage: Science and technology (mathematics, international awards).

GS area: Culture (Tribal), History

Sarhul, the Spring festival of Oraon, Munda and Santal tribes, was celebrated in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.

• Sarhul: From "sar" (flowers) + "hul" (revolution/uprising). A nature worship festival marking the New Year in the tribal calendar.
• Significance: Worship of the Sal (Shorea robusta) tree, held sacred. Conducted by the village priest (pahan).
• Tribes: Oraon (Kurukh language), Munda (Mundari language), Santal (Santali language, in the 8th Schedule).
• Santali language: Added to the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution in 2003.
• Hul Rebellion 1855: The Santal uprising against the zamindari system and British colonialism. Led by Sidho and Kanhu Murmu.
• Jharkhand's tribal profile: Over 26 per cent of Jharkhand's population belongs to Scheduled Tribes (2011 Census).

Static linkage: Culture (tribal), history.

GS area: Polity (Judiciary)

Judicial transfer orders for three High Court Chief Justices prompted a revisit of the constitutional provisions.

• Article 222(1): The President may transfer a High Court judge from one High Court to another after consultation with the Chief Justice of India.
• Interpretation: "Consultation" was interpreted by the Supreme Court to mean "concurrence" of the CJI (Three Judges Cases: 1981, 1993, 1998).
• Second Judges Case (1993): Consultation with CJI is "concurrence." CJI's opinion is binding on the President in judicial appointments.
• Third Judges Case (1998): Collegium of CJI + 4 senior judges makes recommendations, not the CJI alone.
• Controversy: Transfers of judges to distant High Courts can be used as an informal mechanism of sanction. The NJAC judgment (2015) reaffirmed judicial primacy in transfers too.

Static linkage: Polity (judiciary, constitutional law).

GS area: International Relations (Defence Diplomacy)

India's bilateral military exercises concluded this week.

• INDRA (India-Russia Army Exercise): 13th edition. Held at BTC (Battalion Training Centre), Chennai. Focused on counter-terrorism operations.
• INIOCHOS-25 (India-Greece Air Exercise): Air force exercise. Indian Air Force Su-30MKI participated.
• India-Russia defence ties: Despite diversification, Russia remains a key supplier. 36 per cent of India's arms imports from Russia (2020-24 SIPRI data, down from 72 per cent in 2010-14).
• India-Greece ties: Greece is an EU member. Bilateral ties include shipping (Greece is among the world's largest shipping nations; India's Navi Mumbai hosts a large shipping sector).
• SIMBEX: India-Singapore bilateral naval exercise. Separate from INDRA and INIOCHOS.

Static linkage: International relations (defence diplomacy).

GS area: Culture, Governance (Agriculture)

The P4 Initiative (Public-Private-People Partnership) in Andhra Pradesh was highlighted on Ugadi, the Telugu New Year.

• Ugadi: Telugu and Kannada New Year. First day of the Hindu calendar month of Chaitra. In 2025: March 30.
• P4 Initiative: A natural farming programme by the AP government. Aims to train 60 lakh farmers in natural, chemical-free farming by 2027.
• Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF): Promoted by Subhash Palekar. No external inputs. AP is a global leader in its adoption.
• Paramarsh centres: Community centres where farmers learn and share natural farming practices.
• State of origin: Andhra Pradesh government under APZBNF adopted ZBNF as state policy in 2016.

Static linkage: Culture (Telugu), governance (agriculture, natural farming).

• Amul: Tribhuvandas Patel anniversary: March 31 marks the legacy of Tribhuvandas Patel, founder of the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union (KDCMPUL, 1946) which became Amul. The cooperative model revolutionised dairy.
• Jhelum River: The Jhelum River originates at Verinag Spring (Kashmir). Length: 725 km. Flows into Pakistan and joins the Chenab. Managed under the Indus Waters Treaty.