Current Affairs – May 08, 2025

{GS2 – MoYAS – Initiatives} Khelo India Youth Games

• Context (TH): The Khelo India Youth Games 2025 is the 7^th edition of India’s flagship sporting event for young athletes, inaugurated by the PM in Bihar.

About the Khelo India Youth Games

• It is an annual national-level multi-sport event under the Khelo India Scheme, launched in 2018.
• Organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• Target Group includes youth athletes under the age of 17 and 21 years.
• The first six editions of the Games were held in Delhi, Pune, Guwahati, Panchkula, Bhopal, and Chennai.

Four indigenous sports- Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Thang-Ta, and Mallakhamb were officially added to the Khelo India Youth Games in 2021, reflecting the initiative’s commitment to traditional Indian sports.

• It includes a diverse range of 29 sporting disciplines featuring both conventional Olympic sports (like athletics, swimming, football, and boxing) and indigenous Indian disciplines (such as Gatka, Yogasana).

Objectives

• Promote sports culture at the grassroots level.
• Identify and nurture talented athletes.
• Develop sports infrastructure.
• Prepare athletes for national and international events.

Key Components

• Khelo India Youth Games, University Games, and Winter Games: National-level competitions to identify emerging sports talent.
• Scholarships: Young talent identified across the country by scouts are provided with financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh per annum for 8 years.
• Khelo India centres and academies: Setup of training centres across India for focused coaching.
• Infrastructure development: Upgrading and creating sports facilities across rural and urban India.
• Inclusivity in sports: Focus on gender equality, para-athletes, and indigenous sports participation.
• Fit India Movement: Promotion of fitness and healthy lifestyles among citizens.

Also Read,> Khelo India Programme, KIRTI Program.

{GS2 – Schemes – Misc} ECINET

• Context (ET): The Election Commission of India (ECI) will launch the unified digital platform ECINET.

Key Features

• ECINET will subsume existing Apps like the Voter Helpline App, Voter Turnout App, cVIGIL, Suvidha 2.0, ESMS, Saksham and KYC App.

Significance

• It will offer a seamless & user-friendly interface for electors, election officials, politicians & civil society.
• ECINET will serve nearly 100 crore electors, support the electoral machinery, and eliminate the need for multiple app downloads and logins, reducing users’ complexity.

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health – Diseases} Ozempic Could Reverse Liver Disease *

• Context (IE): An international team of researchers found that semaglutide effectively treated Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), a severe fatty liver disease.

About MASH

• MASH is inflammation of the liver caused by excess fat cells (steatotic liver disease).
• MASH is similar to the kind of liver disease that is caused by long-term, heavy drinking. But MASH occurs in people who don’t abuse alcohol.
• MASH can get worse and cause scarring of the liver, which leads to cirrhosis.

About Semaglutide

• Semaglutide is an anti-diabetic medication used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and an anti-obesity medication used for long-term weight management.
• It is sold under the brand names Ozempic and Rybelsus for diabetes and under the brand name Wegovy for weight management.

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health – Diseases} Understanding Fever

• Context (TH): Fever, a common physiological response during illness, plays a crucial role in defending the body against infections.

What is Fever?

• Also known as pyrexia, refers to a temporary increase in the body’s core temperature above 38°C (100.4°F). It is a natural response triggered by infections, inflammations, or other medical conditions.
• Physiological Role: It is part of the acute phase response, the first stage of immune response initiated by the immune system to combat pathogens and support the body’s defence mechanisms.
• Types of Fever: Continuous (typhoid); intermittent (malaria); remittent, never normal (endocarditis); relapsing (borrelia); Pel-Ebstein, cyclical – fever followed by afebrile period (Hodgkin’s lymphoma); hectic/septic, with chills/sweating (sepsis, abscess).

Biological Mechanism Behind Fever

Immune System Activation

• Infection detection: White blood cells, especially monocytes, detect the presence of pathogens (bacteria, viruses).
• Cytokine release: These cells release cytokines like Interleukin-1 (IL-1) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) by white blood cells (WBCs), which travel to the brain and activate the body’s defense system.

Cytokines These are small signalling proteins produced by immune cells that help regulate immune responses and inflammation by acting as messengers, coordinating communication between cells to fight infections and injuries. Functions involve: Activate immune cells (e.g., T-cells, B-cells) to combat pathogens. Control inflammation, promoting or reducing it as needed. Regulate growth and differentiation of immune cells. Enable coordination between cells for an efficient immune response. Major Types of cytokines: Interleukins (ILs): Regulate communication between white blood cells. Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α): Promotes inflammation and fever. Interferons (IFNs): Fight viral infections by inhibiting replication. Chemokines: Attract immune cells to infection sites.

Role of the Brain in Raising Temperature

• Hypothalamus activation: It stimulates the hypothalamus, the brain’s temperature regulation centre.

Hypothalamus It is a small brain region that regulates vital body functions and maintains homeostasis. Key Functions: Temperature regulation: Acts as the body’s thermostat, adjusting temperature through processes like shivering or sweating. Hormonal control: Controls the pituitary gland, influencing growth, metabolism & reproduction. Autonomic functions: Manages involuntary functions like heart rate and digestion. Thirst and hunger: Regulates fluid balance and appetite. Sleep-wake cycle: Controls the circadian rhythm, influencing sleep patterns.

• Prostaglandin production: The hypothalamus produces hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, especially PGE2, which signal the body to raise its temperature set point.
• Physiological responses:
  • Shivering: The body begins to shiver, generating heat through muscle contractions.
  • Increased metabolism: Body’s metabolism speeds up, burning energy & producing additional heat.

Also Read,> Blood | Blood Groups | Formed Elements, T– Cells & Coronavirus, Cytokine storm.

{GS3 – Agri – Crops} Coffee Agroforests

• Context (TH): Study shows coffee agroforests in Karnataka’s Western Ghats support native biodiversity and aid ecological restoration.

• In Shade Coffee Agroforests plantations coffee is cultivated under the canopy of diverse shade trees.
• Reduced Pest Pressure: Diversifying tree cover helps reduce pest attacks in organic coffee cultivation through natural ecosystem balance.

Source: TH

• They preserve remnant natural forest patches, offering habitat continuity in fragmented landscapes.
• These systems support a high diversity of native flora and fauna, including frugivorous birds and endemic tree species.
  • Shade trees like Canarium strictum attract birds & offer culturally significant resin, supporting local livelihoods & traditions. Artocarpus hirsutus is a species endemic to the Western Ghats.

{GS3 – Envi – Laws} Access and Benefit Sharing Rules **

• Context (DTE): Centre notified new Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) rules under the 2025 Biodiversity Regulation to streamline equitable benefit-sharing from biodiversity use.

• New Regulation: Biological Diversity (Access to Biological Resources and Knowledge Associated thereto and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits) Regulation, 2025 replaces the 2014 ABS Guidelines.
• Turnover-Based Slabs: No benefit sharing for turnover up to ₹5 crore; 0.2% for ₹5–50 crore, 0.4% for ₹50–250 crore and 0.6% for above ₹250 crore of annual gross ex-factory sales (excluding taxes).
  • Exemption Clause: Cultivated medicinal plants exempted from benefit-sharing obligations.
• Mandatory Reporting: All users with turnover exceeding ₹1 crore must submit annual usage details.
• Regulatory Consistency: Aligns with the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act 2023, which promoted cultivation and removed approval requirements for Indian medicine practitioners.
• High-Value Species Provision: Red sanders, sandalwood, agarwood and species listed under Section 38 of Biological Diversity Act 2002 require at least 5% benefit sharing, which may exceed 20% for commercial use.
• Blended Product Handling: Products combining cultivated and wild-sourced ingredients may be exempted from sharing if identified by MoEFCC in consultation with the Ministry of AYUSH.
• Broadened Scope: The new rules expand coverage to digital genetic data, strengthening biodiversity governance and international alignment.
  • Digital Sequence Information (DSI): Explicitly brought under Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) obligations, correcting a key omission from the 2014 guidelines.
  • COP16 Framework: Multilateral mechanism adopted in Cali, Colombia, under CBD.
  • Global Obligation: Biotech, pharma, cosmetics & agriculture industries to share benefit from DSI use.
• Research and IP Compliance: Researchers and Intellectual Property applicants must follow Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) rules before pursuing intellectual property rights.
• Benefit Allocation: 10–15% of the benefits are retained by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), with the rest distributed to rightful claimants.
  • NBA is the Central authority for regulation, retention and disbursal of shared benefits.

Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS): ABS is a global mechanism under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to ensure fair sharing of benefits from the use of genetic resources with their original custodians, often local communities.

{GS3 – IE – Exports} India’s Total Exports Jump to $825 Billion in FY25

• Context (PIB|BS): India’s total exports of goods and services touched a record high in the FY 2024–25, as per final data released by the RBI and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Key Export Statistics

Total Exports

• Value: $824.9 billion (₹69.11 lakh crore)
• Growth: 6.01% over FY2023–24’s $778.1 billion (₹65.18 lakh crore)

Services Exports

• Value: $387.5 billion (₹32.46 lakh crore), an all-time high
• Growth: 13.6% YoY over $341.1 billion (₹28.57 lakh crore) in FY24
• March 2025 Exports: $35.6 billion (₹2.98 lakh crore), showing an 18.6% YoY growth from March 2024
• Key contributing sectors included telecommunications, computer and information services, financial services, and travel and transport services.

Merchandise Exports

• Value: $437.42 billion
• Growth: Marginal at 0.08% YoY (from $437.07 billion in FY24)
• Non-Petroleum Exports: Rose by 6% YoY, touching a record $374.1 billion—the highest-ever non-petroleum export figure.

Key Export Commodities

• Electronic Goods: Exports surged by 32.47%, reaching $38.58 billion, driven by the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme and India’s emergence as a manufacturing and exporting hub.
  • Smartphone exports alone reportedly touched $18 billion.
• Drugs & Pharmaceuticals: Exports increased by 9.39% to $30.47 billion, reinforcing India’s position as the “pharmacy of the world”.
• Engineering Goods: Exports increased by 6.74%, totalling $116.67 billion, with significant demand from the United States, UAE, Singapore, and Nepal.
• Ready-Made Garments (RMG): Exports rose by 7% to $21.35 billion during April–October FY2024–25, led by competitive pricing and diversified sourcing destinations.
• Agricultural Products: Rice exports increased by 19.73% to $12.47 billion, while tea exports grew by 11.84% to $0.92 billion.

Drivers of Export Growth

• Robust services sector: Led by IT, telecom, financial, transport & travel services; strong global demand for digital services.
  • India secured the 7th-largest share in global services exports, underscoring its competitiveness in the global market.
• Policy support: Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, Make in India, Digital India, and improved Ease of Doing Business boosted exports.
  • The PLI scheme alone attracted investments of ₹1.46 lakh crore, leading to ₹4 lakh crore in exports and generating 9.5 lakh jobs.
• Market & product diversification: Expansion into new markets (Africa, Latin America) and rise in non-traditional exports (electronics, pharma, processed food).
• Infrastructure development: Projects like PM Gati Shakti and Sagarmala improved logistics efficiency and reduced costs.
• Digital & fintech growth: Enabled Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises(MSMEs) to access global markets; streamlined payments and cross-border trade.

Also Read,> Initiatives for Export Promotion, MSME.

{GS3 – S&T – Defence} Weapons in News

• Context (ET): SCALP, HAMMER, Kamikaze drones were the probable weapons used in Operation Sindoor.

Credit: MBDA, Safran, ds

Storm Shadow Air-launched Long-range Precision (SCALP) Missile or “Storm Shadow”

• Type: Long-range, air-launched cruise missile.
• Manufacturer: Missile Business Development Agency (European defence company).
• Range: Over 500 km.
• Combat Use: Deployed for precision strikes against high-value, fixed targets in enemy territory, including fortified positions and critical infrastructure.
• Guidance System: Global Positioning System(GPS), Inertial Navigation System (INS), and Terrain Referenced Positioning Refinement On Map (TERPROM).
• Warhead: BROACH (penetrates bunkers and hardened facilities).
• Strategic Role: It enabled India to strike PoK infrastructure without violating the Line of Control (LoC), thus avoiding direct escalation.

Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) Precision-Guided Bomb

• Type: Medium-range, air-to-ground bomb.
• Manufacturer: Safran Electronics & Defense (France).
• Range: 60-70 km (with boosters).
• Key Features: Modular design that can be equipped with GPS, infrared, and laser guidance for various targets, making it effective for both stationary and moving targets.
• Warhead: 250 kg-class; can be used for bunker busting or fragmentation.
• Strategic Role: It was crucial for targeting mobile terrorist camps in rugged PoK terrain, offering precise strike capability with minimal personnel risk.

Loitering Munitions (Kamikaze Drones)

• Type: Suicide drones that loiter and strike autonomously.
• Key Features:
  • Real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) gathering.
  • Autonomous targeting and strike capability.
  • Low radar signature, reducing detection by enemy defences.
• Variants: Indigenous (Nagastra-1, ALFA-S) and imported (Israeli Harop, SkyStriker).
• Strategic Role: Best suited for time-sensitive or fleeting targets, such as terror convoys or leadership, reducing the risk to pilots and enhancing operational secrecy.

Rafale Fighter Jet

• The Dassault Rafale is a 4.5 generation, multirole combat aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation, serving as a critical asset for the French Air Force and Navy.
• India enhanced its air combat capabilities by procuring 36 Rafales in a €7.8 billion deal signed in 2016, with deliveries expected to be completed by 2022.

Key Features

• Engines: Powered by 2 engines, enabling supercruise (supersonic flight without afterburners)
• Speed: Mach 1.8 with a combat radius of 1,000 km
• Avionics: Equipped with RBE2 AESA radar, SPECTRA electronic warfare system, and Helmet Mounted Display, providing superior situational awareness and survivability

Weapons

• Air-to-Air: Meteor (Beyond Visual Range missile), MICA (short-range, all-aspect missile)
• Air-to-Ground: SCALP, HAMMER
• Anti-Ship: Exocet and Naval SCALP (for maritime strike operations)

Variants

• Rafale C: Single-seat variant for the Air Force.
• Rafale B: Twin-seat variant for training and operational flexibility.
• Rafale M: Naval variant optimised for carrier operations.

Also Read >Operation Sindoor, Long-Range Hypersonic Missile , Indigenous Defence Technology.

{GS3 – S&T – ISRO} Global Space Exploration Summit GLEX 2025

• Context (PIB|IAF): India is set to host the 12^th edition of the Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2025), with the theme “Reaching New Worlds: A Space Exploration Renaissance.”

Key Highlight of the Summit

• GLEX serves as a premier platform for international dialogue and collaboration in space exploration, attracting global participation.
• Organised by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), in partnership with:
  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
  • Astronautical Society of India (ASI)

International Astronautical Federation (IAF)

• Founded: 1951 with headquarters in Paris, France. Serve as the world’s leading space advocacy body.
• Members: 500+ from 78 countries (space agencies, companies, institutions)
• Vision: “A space-faring world cooperating for the benefit of humanity”.
• Motto: “Connecting @ll Space People”.
• Major Events: Organises key events like GLEX and the International Astronautical Congress (IAC).

{GS3 – S&T – Space} Hubble Space Telescope *

• Context (TH): NASA celebrates 35 years of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST).

Journey of the Hubble Space Telescope

• Lyman Spitzer envisioned a space telescope in the 1940s for unobstructed views of the universe.
• NASA and the US Congress approved the Large Space Telescope project in 1969. European Space Agency (ESA) contributed 15% of funding and gained 15% of observation time.
• Later, the HST was planned by NASA in 1979 as an astronomical observatory. Originally scheduled for 1986, it was delayed due to the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and technical issues.
• Finally launched on April 24, 1990. It was named after the American astronomer Edwin Hubble, whose research in the 1920s provided the first evidence of the universe’s expansion.
• The telescope orbits approximately 547 kilometres above the Earth’s surface.
• It is equipped with a 2.4-meter primary mirror and advanced scientific instruments that allow it to capture high-resolution images and spectroscopic data across the electromagnetic spectrum.
• The primary objectives of the Hubble Space Telescope are to explore the universe and to study its composition, formation, and evolution.

Source: TH

Key Instruments and Upgrades

• Initial Payloads: Included Wide-Field and Planetary Camera (WFPC), Faint Object Camera, GHRS, FOS, a high-speed photometer and three Fine Guidance Sensors.
• COSTAR Installation (1993): Corrected early mirror defect with a set of compensatory mirrors; WFPC replaced with WFPC 2.
• Instrument Replacements (1997): GHRS and FOS were replaced with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph to capture ultraviolet to infrared light frequencies.
• Data Capacity: Transmits ~150GB data per week; made 1.6 million observation of ~52,000 stellar objects.

Major Scientific Contributions

• Cosmic Expansion and Universe’s Age: Identified over 800 Cepheid variable stars in 24 galaxies to estimate the universe’s age at 13.8 billion years through luminosity and pulsation data.
• Redshift and Blueshift Insights: Analysed wavelength changes in light (redshift for moving away, blueshift for approaching) to measure cosmic motion and distances.
• Gamma-Ray Burst Discovery: Located the origin of gamma-ray bursts in star-forming galaxies low in heavier elements.
• Black Hole Evidence: Observations confirmed the presence of supermassive black holes at the centres of many galaxies.
• Dark Matter Mapping: Helped construct a 3D map of dark matter using light distortions from galaxies.
• Technological Blueprint: Served as a model for advanced telescopes like James Webb Space Telescope and upcoming missions.

Iconic Observations and Celestial Discoveries

• Tarantula Nebula (30 Doradus): Captured merging star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud, 170,000 light-years away.
• Butterfly Nebula Imaging: Revealed gas dynamics and stellar mechanics using near-ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths.
• Globular Cluster NGC 6355: Studied dense, spherical star formations in the Milky Way’s inner region, ~50,000 light-years away.

Also refer to Rate of Universe’s Expansion > Hubble Constant.

{Prelims – PIN World – Asia} Sandy Cay *

• Context (TH|TH): Tensions escalated between China and the Philippines after China claimed it had seized control of Sandy Cay Reef in the disputed South China Sea.

About Sandy Cay

• Also known as Tiexian Reef, a small sandbar located in the Spratly Islands, part of the South China Sea.
• Positioned near Thitu Island (Pag-asa), a major Philippine-administered Island, Sandy Cay lies within internationally disputed waters, claimed by China, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
• Rich in maritime resources such as fisheries, oil and gas reserves, and serves as a critical shipping lane, making it vital for both economic and military security.

Brief of South China Sea issue

• A vital maritime zone for global trade and regional security, rich in resources and strategic importance.
• China’s Nine-Dash Line claims nearly the entire South China Sea, overlapping with the territorial claims of the Philippines, Vietnam, and other Southeast Asian nations.
• In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled in favour of the Philippines, stating that China’s claims were without legal basis under international law, particularly about maritime entitlements.
• Despite the ruling, China continues to assert its control over the region, resulting in repeated tensions, especially around strategically important features like Sandy Cay.

China’s Strategic Interests in the South China Sea Military Expansion: China has militarized several disputed islands, including building artificial islands equipped with airstrips, radar systems, and missile systems. Enhancing power projection & its ability to exert control over critical maritime zones in the region. Economic Importance: Sea rich in fisheries, oil, and natural gas reserves, vital for China’s energy security and economic growth. Control over it ensures access to key economic assets like fish stocks & energy reserves. Regional Influence: China’s dominance is part of its broader strategy to assert regional supremacy and secure maritime borders. Aimed at countering U.S. military presence and dominating trade routes in the Indo-Pacific.

Also refer > South China Sea Dispute | Nine-dash line.