Current Affairs – July 19, 2025

{GS1 – IS – Issues} Sexual Harassment in Supposed Safe Spaces

• Context (TH): The suicide of a 20-year-old B.Ed student in Odisha, after repeated sexual harassment complaints were ignored, has reignited concerns about gender-based violence in India’s educational institutions and workplaces, spaces presumed to be safe.

Structural Gaps and Systemic Failure

• Awareness Gaps: In many rural and tier-2 institutions, a lack of awareness or access to Internal Complaint Committees (ICCs) undermines the purpose of these bodies as a means of redressal.
• Redressal Systems: Despite approaching top authorities, including the Chief Minister’s office, the student’s plea went unheard, exposing a dangerous culture of apathy and zero accountability.
• Enforcement Gaps: The non-functioning or absence of ICCs, mandated under the 2013 POSH Act, reflects widespread institutional non-compliance.
• Pattern of Abuse: Recent cases from gang rape in a West Bengal law college to sexual assault by lecturers in Mangaluru underscore that supposed safe spaces are increasingly becoming sites of gendered violence and power misuse.
• Data Invisibility: Delayed release of NCRB’s Crime in India 2023 report reflects a transparency deficit.
  • Even 2022 data showed 4,45,256 reported cases of crimes against women, a 4% increase from 2021.
  • However, the true scale is likely much higher, as widespread underreporting persists due to fear, stigma, and low trust in institutional redressal systems.

Implications for Society

• Erosion of Trust: Repeated incidents in institutions degrade public faith in systems meant to nurture and protect.
• Silencing Victims: Delayed justice and institutional neglect deter survivors from speaking out, worsening underreporting.
• Vulnerability: Students, especially women in colleges, face growing insecurity, affecting their education and mental well-being.
• Gender Inequality: When justice systems fail, gender-based power hierarchies deepen, weakening India’s constitutional promise of equality and dignity.
• Constitutional Values: Such systemic failures challenge the constitutional ideals of equality (Article 14), dignity (Article 21), and freedom from discrimination (Article 15), cornerstones of a just and inclusive democracy.

Way Forward

• Institutional Reforms: Ensure compulsory formation, regular training, and third-party audits of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) across all institutions.
• Data Transparency: Release NCRB data on time and include campus and workplace sexual violence as distinct, trackable categories.
• Accountability: Mandate penalties for institutional heads who fail to comply with POSH norms and ensure safe, anonymous digital reporting systems.
• Sensitisation: Introduce compulsory gender sensitivity modules and harassment redressal training for all students, staff, and administrators.
• Societal Awareness: Encourage continuous public campaigns and media engagement to normalise reporting and sustain the fight for gender justice beyond moments of crisis.

{GS2 – MoYAS – Initiatives} Khelo Bharat Conclave

• Context (PIB): To accelerate India’s ambition of finishing among the Top 10 nations at the 2036 Olympics & Paralympics, the Sports organised the Khelo Bharat Conclave on July 17, 2025.

• The event witnessed the unveiling of the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, aimed at making India a global sporting powerhouse by 2047.

Outcomes of the Conclave

Sports Governance Reforms

• National Sports Governance Bill to be tabled in the Monsoon Session.
• Emphasis on good governance and transparency in sports administration.
• The National Sports Federations are urged to submit their 5-year policies by August 2025.
• Planning to move towards performance-based grants.

Strategic Goals and Initiatives

• India to enter the Top 10 nations in the 2036 Olympics/Paralympics.
• Leveraging sports to boost employment and entertainment, strengthen sports tourism and make sports a commercial and cultural movement.
• One Corporate-One Sport: The Initiative encourages private corporations to adopt and invest in one Olympic sport each, promoting focused development of athletes, infrastructure, and administration in that discipline.

{GS2 – IR – Foreign Policy} Hyper-Nationalism in India’s Foreign Policy

 

• Context (IE): Hyper-nationalism is constraining India’s strategic options and undermining the goals of its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.

Hyper-Nationalism

• Hyper-nationalism refers to an excessive form of nationalism that prioritises national pride over rational foreign policy.

Key Features

• Suppresses Dissent: Critics are labelled anti-national, limiting debate on strategic decisions.
• Blocks Scrutiny: Internal questioning of foreign policy is avoided to preserve the national image.
• Creates Adversaries: Neighbouring states are framed as threats to foster public unity.
• Distorts Ethics: Proxy violence is justified, weakening moral standards in external conflicts.

Benefits of Hyper-Nationalism in a Globalised World

• Assertive nationalism strengthens collaboration with major powers on defence and technology.
• Hyper nationalist ambitions elevate India’s stature in platforms like the G20 and the Quad.
• Political cohesion driven by nationalism can enhance investor confidence in policy continuity.
• External threat narratives foster cohesion, enabling consistent international negotiation postures.
• A firm nationalist posture strengthens autonomy by reducing susceptibility to external pressure.

Challenges of Hyper-Nationalism in a Globalised World

• Rigid nationalist framing restricts India’s diplomatic options, as evident in its cautious stance on Ukraine.
• Assertive posturing in Indo-Pacific forums has unsettled ASEAN partners despite shared interests.
• Selective silence on issues like Myanmar’s coup weakens India’s moral standing in multilateral forums.
• Hyper-nationalism clouds realism, as in India’s refusal to engage Pakistan despite backchannel openings.
• Nationalist pressures fuel confrontational stances, raising risks during standoffs with Pakistan and China.

Trends of Hyper-Nationalism in India’s Foreign Policy

• Nationalist Projection: India’s limited international support after Operation Sindoor reflected a foreign policy prioritising nationalist image over coalition-building.
• Neighbourhood Backlash: The “#BoycottMaldives” campaign, driven by online outrage, demonstrated how hyper nationalist sentiment strained diplomatic ties with a neighbouring state.
• Selective Silence: India’s silence during the Gaza conflict signalled a shift from values-based diplomacy to alliance-driven selectivity, weakening its normative credibility in the Global South.

Way Forward for India’s Foreign Policy

• India must retain diplomatic flexibility, as Turkey does through multi-vector foreign policy.
• India must rebuild regional trust through steady diplomacy, following Indonesia’s ASEAN approach.
• India should take consistent global positions, as Norway does, to uphold credibility.
• India should adopt strategic realism like Vietnam, balancing interests without ideological overreach.
• India should adopt de-escalation protocols, as seen in China–ASEAN conflict management frameworks.

{GS3 – Envi – CC} Rising Extreme Weather Events in India

• Context (TM): IMD warns that climate change is shrinking India’s forecast window and increasing the unpredictability of localised extreme weather.

• Extreme weather events are high-intensity atmospheric phenomena that deviate significantly from long-term climate patterns.

Extreme Weather Events in India

Thermal and Atmospheric Extremes

• Heatwave Intensity: Core-heat zones in north and central India face longer, more intense heatwaves.
• Urban Heatwaves: Cities like Delhi-NCR face multi-day heatwaves, causing institutional disruptions.
• Thunderstorms: Mesoscale convective systems are increasing across eastern and northeastern India.

Hydrometeorological Hazards

• Extreme Rainfall: Central and peninsular India report high-intensity, short-duration rainfall episodes.
• Flash Floods: Cloudburst-driven floods are rising in the Himalayan and northeastern hill regions.
• Lightning Incidents: Eastern and northeastern states report rising lightning-linked fatalities.

Changing Weather System

• Hailstorms: Pre-monsoon convective storms lead to more frequent hail & dust storms in central India.
• Cyclone Intensity: Sea-surface warming in the Arabian Sea is intensifying severe cyclonic storms.
• Winter Rainfall: Fewer western disturbances are reducing snowfall and winter rainfall in north India.

Reasons for Extreme Weather Events

• GHG Emissions: Rising greenhouse gases intensify heat energy, driving high-impact weather extremes.
• Jet Stream Shift: Shifting upper winds disrupt weather systems, causing erratic rain and heat waves.
• ENSO Events: El Niño and La Niña alter monsoon patterns and intensify flood–drought cycles.
• Ocean Heating: Warmer seas increase moisture, triggering short-duration extreme rainfall events.
• Weak Westerly: Fewer western disturbances reduce winter rain and trigger dry spells in north India.
• Land Use: Deforestation and surface change disrupt local rainfall, temperature, and wind patterns.
• Urban Heat: Heat islands in cities intensify temperature spikes and alter local convection systems.

Consequences of Extreme Weather Events

• Human Mortality: Over 3,200 lives were lost in 2024 due to extreme weather-related events.
• Economic Damage: India incurred $180B in macroeconomic losses from extreme climate events.
• Crop Disruption: Weather extremes damaged 3.2 million ha of crops, escalating food supply volatility.
• Infrastructure Damage: Floods and cyclones recurrently damage critical infrastructure & public assets.
• Displacement: Extreme events displaced thousands, straining shelters & emergency response systems.
• Health Burden: Heat and floods increased climate-sensitive diseases and strained public health systems.
• Insurer Pressure: Rising claims have strained insurance schemes and financial risk-pooling systems.

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} UN Sustainable Development Report 2025

• Context (DTE): The 10^th edition of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Report, 2025, highlights stagnation and even regression across several global targets, reflecting a critical slowdown as the 2030 deadline approaches.
• Urgent setbacks are noted in climate resilience, food security, health systems, and SDG financing, threatening the global vision for sustainable and inclusive development.

Credit: Manorama Yearbook

Key Findings

Overall Trend

• 35% of SDG targets (across 14 of 17 goals) have either stalled or reversed.
• Critical goals with the highest regression (50–57% targets) are SDG 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10.
• Other off-track goals (40–42% targets) are SDGs 12, 14, 15, and 16.

SDG 2 – Zero Hunger

• 4 out of 7 targets for Zero Hunger are regressing.
• Global hunger: 9.1% (713–757 million people), up from 7.5% in 2019. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 23.2% are undernourished, and South Asia is home to the highest number of hungry people at 232 million.
• Food Inflation: In 2023, 50% of the countries faced high food prices, about three times pre-pandemic levels.

SDG 4 – Quality Education

• 57% of targets show no progress or are regressing.
• School completion, foundational literacy, and gender parity remain unmet in many nations.

SDG 6 – Clean Water & Sanitation

• Reduced performance: 50–57% of targets are off-track.
• Global water access: In 2024, 2.2 billion lacked safely managed drinking water; 3.4 billion had no safely managed sanitation; 1.7 billion lacked basic hygiene.

SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth

• 50–57% of targets regressing.
• Informal employment (2024): 57.8% of the global workforce is informally employed.
• Youth unemployment (2024): 12.9%, which is over three times the adult rate of 3.7%.

SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities

• Rising inequality across income, access to vaccines, digital divide, and climate vulnerability.
• No significant redistribution mechanisms expanded post-COVID-19.

Other Affected Goals

• SDG 14 Life Below Water: Suffers from reduced fish stocks, marine pollution; identified as the least funded goal.
• SDG 3 Good Health: Two of twelve targets stagnant – maternal mortality and universal health coverage; health systems continue to struggle post-pandemic.

Positive Trends Noted

• HIV infections have declined nearly 40% since 2010.
• Malaria prevention: 2.2 billion cases averted and 12.7 million lives saved since 2000.
• Social protection: Coverage now extends to over 50% of the world’s population.

Climate Trends & Risks

• 2024 was recorded as the hottest year ever, 1.55 °C above pre-industrial levels.
• WMO projection: 80% chance that at least one year from 2025–2029 will surpass 2024’s temperature record.

Finance & SDG Implementation

• Official Development Assistance (ODA) declined by 7.1% in 2024, ending a five-year growth streak.
• Financing gap: Estimated at US$4 trillion gap for Annual SDG financing.

Institutional & Governance Trends

• Conflict and political instability affect more than 60 countries, impacting progress in SDG 16.

{GS3 – S&T – Defence} Extended Trajectory-Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile (ET-LDHCM)

• Context (ET): India has tested a new hypersonic missile called ET-LDHCM.

• With the ET-LDHCM, India joins a select group of nations, including the United States, Russia, and China, that have mastered hypersonic weapon systems.

Key Features

• Indigenously Developed: Developed entirely using domestic technology under the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) classified initiative Project Vishnu.
• Scramjet Engine: The missile is powered by an advanced scramjet engine. Unlike traditional jet engines, a scramjet utilises atmospheric oxygen for combustion, allowing for sustained high speeds over extended durations.
• Hypersonic Speed: The missile can travel three kilometres in 2 seconds at its maximum speed of Mach 8, which is about 11,000 km/h, or eight times the speed of sound.
• Range: About 1,500 kilometres.
• Payload: It can target and destroy enemy sites using conventional or nuclear warheads weighing 1,000–2,000 kg.
  • It can deliver swift and devastating strikes deep into enemy territory, including targets in China and Pakistan. Thus, the missile is being touted as a potential game-changer in the Asian military balance.
• Manoeuvrability and Low-Altitude Flight: Unlike ballistic missiles that follow predictable trajectories, the ET-LDHCM travels at low altitudes and can manoeuvre in mid-flight.
• Stealth and Durability: It is made of heat-resistant materials that can sustain temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees Celsius. It features oxidation-resistant coatings that ensure it will continue to function in the most extreme conditions, including seawater and intense sunlight.
• Versatile Launch Platforms: It can be launched from land, air, or sea.

Project Vishnu Project Vishnu, initiated by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is a program focused on developing hypersonic cruise missiles. The project aims to revolutionise India’s strike capabilities with high-speed, manoeuvrable weapons.

{GS3 – S&T – Space} The Biggest Ever Black Hole Merger

• Context (IE): Scientists detected the largest black hole merger to date through gravitational waves, in an event named GW231123.

Gravitational Waves & Detection Gravitational waves are a type of energy released as tiny vibrations in spacetime when large cosmic objects like black holes move rapidly or collide. They were predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916 based on his General Theory of Relativity and were first detected by LIGO in 2015. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detects gravitational waves by using laser beams (it allows observation of cosmic events undetectable by electromagnetic waves). Virgo (Italy) and KAGRA (Japan) observatories work with LIGO to improve signal accuracy. LIGO-India, currently being built in Hingoli district, Maharashtra, will expand the global gravitational wave detection network.

Black Holes & Black Hole Mergers

• Black holes are regions in space where gravity is so intense that not even light can escape.
• They form when a massive star exhausts its fuel, explodes, and its core collapses under gravity.

Black Hole Mergers

• A black hole merger is a cosmic event where two black holes collide and form a larger, single black hole.
• Such an event happens when two black holes orbit each other in a binary system and gradually spiral inward because of energy loss. This energy radiates outward as gravitational waves,
• As black holes merge, the intensity of gravitational waves increases, resulting in a final powerful burst.
• This burst travels through space and is detected on Earth by laser interferometers.

Laser interferometers are scientific instruments that utilise laser beams to detect extremely small changes caused by gravitational waves.

Credit: LIGO

The New Discovery

• The recent discovery marked the largest black hole merger ever observed, detected by the LVK collaboration—a network of observatories including LIGO (US), Virgo (Italy), and KAGRA (Japan).
• Blackhole masses: Two black holes of approximately 100 and 140 solar masses merged to form a single remnant of 225–240 solar masses.
• New Record: This is the largest black hole merger, exceeding the previous record of about 140 solar masses.
• Theoretical Anomaly: The black holes had masses within the pair-instability mass gap.

The pair-instability mass gap is a range (~65–120 solar masses) where black holes are not expected to form through stellar collapse, as per current theory.

• Extreme Spin: At least one of the black holes was rotating close to the maximum rate permitted by general relativity.

Significance of the Discovery

• The discovery indicates that large black holes might form through successive mergers of smaller ones, not just by direct stellar collapse.
• It offers a rare chance to test general relativity under extreme gravitational and rotational conditions.
• The event offers insights into black hole formation and growth in the early universe.

{Prelims – In News} Prithvi-II and Agni-I

• Context (PIB): India has successfully test-fired two key strategic ballistic missiles – the short-range Prithvi-II and the Agni-I.

Key Features of Prithvi-II

• The Prithvi-II is a surface-to-surface missile. It is the latest addition to the Prithvi series of rockets, which includes the Prithvi-I, Prithvi-II, Prithvi-III and Dhanush.
• It was first tested in 1996 and became part of India’s main weapon force in 2003.
• This missile is not only nuclear-capable but also versatile, with the capability to use both nuclear and conventional warheads.
• The Prithvi-II is highly accurate and can adjust its path in flight to evade enemy defences.
• Payload: 500-1000 kg.
• Range: 350 km.
• Weight: About 4.5 tonnes.
• Deployment: It is launched from mobile trucks that can move anywhere.

Prithvi Missiles The Prithvi II missile and other missiles in the series are a result of India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Program, initiated by the government in 1983. Prithvi-I (Army Version): Can hit targets 150 km away and carries 1000 kg warheads. Prithvi-II (Air Force Version): It can hit targets 350 km away and carries 500-1000 kg warheads. Prithvi-III (Navy Version): Can hit targets 350 km away and carries 1000 kg warheads. Dhanush (Advanced Ship-Launched Version): It is the naval version of the Prithvi family. It can attack targets 350 km away, but with smaller warheads, it can reach up to 750 km.

Key Features of Agni-I

• It is India’s first operational ballistic missile and forms the backbone of the country’s nuclear deterrent capability.
• The Agni-1 features a manoeuvrable re-entry vehicle (MRV) with body-lift aerodynamics that allows it to correct trajectory errors and reduce thermal stresses.
• Its solid-fuel propulsion system ensures a quick reaction time and extended storage capability compared to liquid-fueled systems.
• Range: 700-1200 kilometres (with reduced payload).
• Payload: 1000 kg warhead capacity.
• Length: 15 meters.
• Launch Weight: 12 tonnes.
• Fuel: Single-stage solid fuel propulsion.
• Deployment: Road and rail mobile platforms.