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Current Affairs – May 11-12, 2025
{GS1 – A&C – Religion} Buddha Purnima *
- Context (TOI): Buddha Purnima reminds us of the profound teachings of Gautama Buddha.
Credit: NDTV
About Buddha Purnima
- Also known as Vesak or Buddha Jayanti, the day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and Mahaparinirvana of Gautama Buddha, all of which are believed to have occurred on the same full moon day.
- Observed on the Purnima (full moon) in the month of Vaisakha (April–May).
- Recognised as an UN International Day in 1999 to honour Buddhism’s contribution to global peace.
Life Events of Buddha (Commemorated on Buddha Purnima)
|
Event |
Place |
Significance |
| Birth | Lumbini (present-day Nepal)
(UNESCO World Heritage Site) |
Birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama (Gautama Buddha)- 563 BCE. |
| Enlightenment | Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya | Attained Bodhi under the Bodhi Tree |
| First Sermon | Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh | Dharma Chakra Pravartana (Turning of the Wheel of Law) |
| Mahaparinirvana | Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh | Passed away in 483 BCE at age 80 |
Significance
- Emphasises values like non-violence (ahimsa), compassion, inner peace, and mindful living.
- Universally observed across all major Buddhist traditions: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
- Enhances India-Nepal cultural diplomacy, as both countries share historical Buddhist heritage sites.
Also Reads > Buddhism, Bojjannakonda and Lingalakonda Buddhist Rock-Cut Caves.
{GS1 – Geo – EG – Mineral Resources} Copper **
- Context (DG): The Filo del Sol project, a copper-gold-silver mining venture located on the Chile-Argentina border, has announced the discovery of one of the world’s largest greenfield copper deposits in South America.
About Copper (Cu)
- Properties: Soft, malleable, and ductile metal with excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, and antimicrobial properties.
- Mineral forms: Chalcopyrite, Chalcocite, Bornite, and Malachite.
- Uses:
- Electric vehicles (EVs): Essential for EV batteries, motors, charging stations, and wiring. An EV uses up to four times more Cu than a conventional vehicle.
- Power infrastructure: Critical in power generation, transmission, and distribution, including transformers, wires (both underground and overhead).
- Electronics: Found in circuit boards, mobile phones, laptops, and other consumer electronics.
- Construction: Used in plumbing, roofing, and heating systems due to its corrosion resistance.
- Renewable energy systems: Solar panels, wind turbines, and smart grids rely on copper for its efficiency in energy transmission.
- Global top producers: Chile (leading with over 25% of global output), followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Peru, and China.
- Major global reserves: South America dominates copper reserves, with significant contributions from Chile, Peru, and Argentina. The Andes Copper Belt is known as the world’s richest copper zone.
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Cu in India:
- Key Reserves: Rajasthan (52%), Madhya Pradesh (23%), and Jharkhand (15%).
- Major Mines: Singhbhum Copper Belt (Bihar), Khetri Copper Belt (Rajasthan), and Balaghat District (Madhya Pradesh).
- Production Challenges: India’s domestic copper production is limited. The country relies heavily on imports of refined copper, especially after the closure of the Sterlite Copper plant, Tuticorin or Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, in 2018.
{GS2 – IR – Agreements} India-Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership
- Context (PIB | ET): India and Chile signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) to initiate negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to expand bilateral trade and investment.
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Chile
- Geography & Location: Long coastal country in South America, bordered by Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and the Pacific Ocean.
- Geophysical Features: Hosts Andes Mountains, Atacama Desert (driest non-polar desert), Ojos del Salado (world’s highest active volcano).
- Natural Hazards: Prone to earthquakes and tsunamis due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
- Resource-Rich Nation: World’s largest copper producer; Rich in molybdenum, iron ore, timber, hydropower & precious metals; Part of the Lithium Triangle (with Bolivia & Argentina) with 75% of global lithium reserves.
Background of India-Chile Economic Relations
- 1956: Chile became the first South American country to sign a trade pact with India.
- 2005: Framework Agreement on Economic Cooperation signed to promote trade and investment.
- 2006: PTA implemented offering tariff concessions. PTA expanded (2017) to cover more products.
- 2019-21: Need for CEPA was realised. Finally in 2024, Joint Study Group (JSG) recommended CEPA.
- April 2025: Chilean President visited India; both leaders agreed to launch CEPA negotiations.
India-Chile Bilateral Trade
- Trade Volume Growth: Bilateral trade rose from $1.8 billion (2016–17) to $3.6 billion (2024–25).
- Trade Deficit Concern: India runs a $2.5 billion trade deficit with Chile, highlighting the need for balanced market access under CEPA.
Strategic Importance of CEPA
- Broader Economic Partnership: CEPA aims to deepen the existing Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) by covering trade in goods, services, investment, MSMEs, digital trade and critical minerals.
- Comprehensive Scope: Goes beyond tariff cuts to include areas like e-commerce, investment protection, job creation and clean energy cooperation.
- Mutual Growth Focus: Intended to boost exports, create jobs and promote balanced and mutually beneficial economic growth.
Expected Gains for India
- Export Boost: Indian textiles, pharmaceuticals and IT stand to benefit from easier market access.
- MSME Empowerment through cooperation & access to Chilean markets.
- Mineral Security: Access to Chile’s lithium & critical minerals to support India’s clean energy & EV goals.
- Latin America Outreach: Strengthens India’s presence in the resource-rich and strategically important Latin American region.
{GS2 – IR – Groupings} India’s IMF Abstention on Pakistan Loan
- Context (ToI): India abstained from the IMF Executive Board vote on a loan to Pakistan, citing serious objections but constrained by IMF voting rules.
- Recent IMF Disbursement to Pakistan:
- $2.1 billion loan disbursed under Extended Fund Facility & Resilience & Sustainability Facility.
- India abstained from voting to formally register its strong dissent and highlight substantive concerns amid Pakistan’s track record & potential misuse of funds, as IMF rules prohibit a “no” vote.
Strategic Implications of India’s Abstention
- Signalling: A strong diplomatic message within the procedural bounds of the IMF.
- Highlighting Accountability: Calls for stricter enforcement of reform benchmarks and transparency.
- Global Impact: Encourages scrutiny of multilateral financial assistance to states with poor reform history and terror links.
Reasons for India’s Objections to IMF Aid for Pakistan
- Chronic IMF Dependency: Pakistan has received IMF assistance in 28 of the past 35 years, with four bailouts in just five years, reflecting a habitual reliance.
- Lack of Reform Commitment: India flagged Pakistan’s consistent failure to meet IMF conditions or undertake lasting structural reforms.
- Debt Risk to IMF: Repeated bailouts have created a “too big to fail” debtor in Pakistan, posing long-term risks to the IMF’s financial stability.
- Military Control over Economy: Pakistan’s military dominance in economic decisions undermines transparency, civilian oversight, and the credibility of reform.
- Misuse of Funds and Terror Concerns: India has warned that IMF aid could be used to fund military or terror-linked activities instead of promoting economic reforms.
- Damage to Institutional Credibility: Lending to a state sponsoring terrorism risk erodes global trust in multilateral financial institutions.
IMF Voting System and Decision-Making
- Executive Board: Comprises 25 directors representing individual countries or groups of countries.
- Voting Power: Based on economic size of members, unlike the one-country-one-vote system of the UN.
- Voting Constraints: The IMF permits only “yes” or “abstain” votes, no formal provision to vote “no”.
- Decision Mode: Most decisions are made by consensus.
IMF Assistance to Pakistan
Extended Fund Facility (EFF)
- Purpose: EFF aids countries facing medium-term balance of payments issues from structural weaknesses or sluggish growth.
- Program Features: Offers long-term support with extended repayment, focusing on structural reforms and macroeconomic stability.
- Conditionality: Disbursements are linked to quantitative and structural targets, which are released in tranches upon approval by the IMF Board.
Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF)
- Purpose: RSF provides low-cost long-term finance to address structural risks like climate change and pandemics.
- Eligibility: Open to Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust-eligible low-income countries, small states with GNI < 25× IDA cutoff (International Development Association) and middle-income countries with GNI < 10× IDA cutoff.
- IDA Cutoff refers to the per capita income threshold beyond which a country is no longer eligible for IDA’s concessional assistance (i.e. grants or very low-interest loans).
- Conditionality: Disbursements are linked to well-defined reform measures enhancing macro-resilience.
{GS2 – IR – India-Pakistan} India and Pakistan-Turkiye Nexus
- Context (IE): A large-scale Pakistani drone attack using likely Turkish-made drones has spotlighted Turkiye’s growing partnership with Pakistan, raising security & geopolitical concerns for India.
Turkiye’s Strategic Interests in Pakistan
- Counterbalancing Gulf Powers: Turkiye aligns with Pakistan, Malaysia and Qatar to reduce Saudi-UAE dominance and position itself as a parallel Islamic leadership centre.
- Indian Ocean Region Outreach: Turkey established its largest overseas military base in Somalia in 2017, conducts joint naval drills with Pakistan, but avoids similar ties with India. It entered South Asia’s defence market by selling Baykar TB2 drones to the Maldives in 2024.
- Defence Market Penetration: Turkiye emerged as Pakistan’s second-largest arms supplier by 2020 after China, expanding bilateral defence-industrial ties.
- Arms Export Growth: According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Turkish arms exports surged by 103% between 2015-19 and 2020-24.
- Strategic Export Diversification: Defence cooperation with Pakistan helps Turkiye diversify its arms export destinations and increase strategic influence across Muslim-majority regions.
Pakistan’s Strategic Gains from Turkiye
- Diplomatic Backing on Kashmir: Turkiye consistently supports Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir at UN & bilateral forums, with President Erdogan reaffirming solidarity in 2025, prompting India’s protest.
- Acquisition of Advanced Defense Systems: Pakistan procured Bayraktar TB2 drones, Asisguard Songar drones and Kemankes cruise missiles from Turkiye, enhancing drone warfare and naval capabilities.
- Naval Modernisation & Collaboration: A $1 billion deal (2018) with STM Defence Technologies enabled Pakistan to acquire Ada-class corvettes & upgrade Agosta-90B submarines, replacing France’s DCNS.
- Trilateral Strategic Ties with Azerbaijan: Turkiye, Pakistan & Azerbaijan deepened military ties through trilateral summits and Pakistan’s $1.6 billion defense deal with Azerbaijan in 2024 involving JF-17 Thunder Block III fighters.
Turkiye-Pakistan Strategic Bond
- Historical Strategic Alignment: Both countries were part of CENTO (Central Treaty Organisation) and RCD (Regional Cooperation for Development) during the Cold War, with Pakistan backing Turkiye during the Cyprus crises (1964, 1971) and recognising Turkish Cyprus early in 1983.
- Ideological and Political-Islamic Linkage: Shared Islamic identity and the rise of political Islamism under President Erdogan have deepened ties, including joint backing of the alternative Islamic bloc at the 2019 Kuala Lumpur Summit, countering Saudi-UAE leadership.
- Frequent High-Level Engagements: President Erdogan has made >10 visits to Pakistan since 2003 and co-chaired 7th High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) in 2025 to reaffirm close strategic ties.
- Robust Institutional Mechanisms: HLSCC is the apex body for coordinating cooperation in trade, defence, energy & intelligence, while the Military Consultative Group (since 1988) anchors defence relations.
- Strategic Autonomy From Traditional Western & Gulf-Dominated Blocs: Their collaboration at multilateral Islamic forums and emphasis on bilateral defence-industrial ties reflect a shared interest.
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Impact on India-Turkiye Relations
- Strained Diplomatic Ties: Turkiye’s continued support for Pakistan on Kashmir, including Erdogan’s 2025 remarks, has worsened bilateral relations with India since 2013.
- Security Concerns: Turkiye avoids defence cooperation with India, conducts naval drills with Pakistan; is suspected of arms transfers, including a C-130 landing in Karachi amidst May 2025 drone attacks.
- Contrasting Humanitarian Engagement: Despite India’s aid to Turkiye after the 2023 earthquake, Turkiye maintains a pro-Pakistan stance on Kashmir, intensifying the diplomatic rift.
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India’s Strategic Response to Turkiye-Pakistan Nexus
- Support to Greece and Cyprus: India supports Cyprus, countering Turkiye-Pakistan’s backing of Northern Cyprus, with Greece reciprocating India’s Kashmir stance.
- Arms Diplomacy with Armenia: India became Armenia’s top arms supplier by 2024, signalling opposition to Turkiye-backed Azerbaijan.
- Geopolitical Realignment: India’s inclusion in the US Indo-Pacific Strategy and exclusion of Pakistan signals its rising global status.
- Infrastructure Corridor Rivalry: India’s IMEC bypasses Turkiye, diminishing Ankara’s geostrategic importance, while Turkiye promotes the Iraq Development Road as a counterproposal.
- Stronger Gulf Engagement: India’s ties with Saudi Arabia and UAE erode Pakistan’s alliances; Gulf nations increasingly support India’s Kashmir stance.
- Enhanced Military Preparedness: India strengthens defense with indigenous drone defense technologies and the S-400 missile system from Russia, enhancing strategic deterrence.
- Strategic Autonomy and Deterrence: India emphasizes self-reliant defense and regional partnerships, countering the Turkiye-Pakistan axis through defense diplomacy with Armenia, Greece, and Gulf nations.
{GS3 – Agri – Tech} First Pangenome of Asian Rice
- Context (TH): Chinese scientists have developed the first pangenome of Asian cultivated rice by sequencing 144 wild and cultivated varieties using PacBio high-fidelity (HiFi) sequencing technology.
- They also reconstructed the evolutionary lineage of cultivated rice, supporting the hypothesis that all Asian cultivated rice originated from the Or-IIIa variant of the wild progenitor species Oryza rufipogon.
Credit: TH
About Pangenome
- It represents the total genetic diversity of a species by combining genomes from multiple individuals.
- Core Genes: Common to all individuals; essential for basic functions.
- Unique (Accessory) Genes: Found in only some varieties; linked to traits like adaptation.
- Offers a broader and more accurate genetic reference than a single genome, critical for breeding and biotechnology.
PacBio HiFi Sequencing
- A long-read, single-molecule sequencing technology known for high accuracy.
- Captures complex structural variations and extended DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) fragments.
- Essential for constructing diverse and complete genome assemblies like the rice pangenome.
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Applications
- Agriculture: Enables breeding of high-yielding, disease-resistant, and climate-resilient rice varieties.
- Unlocks valuable genetic traits from wild rice, supporting crop diversification and sustainability.
- Environmental Adaptation: Enhances understanding of phenotypic plasticity & stress tolerance in rice.
- Vital for tackling climate-induced threats like heatwaves, droughts, and arsenic uptake.
- Precision Medicine: In human genomics, pangenomes (e.g., Human Pangenome Project) help identify population-specific genetic markers for diseases, enabling targeted, personalised treatments.
- Global and National Importance: Supports India’s National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture and complements ICAR’s genome-editing initiatives (e.g., Samba Mahsuri, MTU 1010).
- Aligns with UN SDG 2 – Zero Hunger, promoting climate-smart agriculture globally.
Also Read > Genome, Whole Genome Sequencing, Genome India Project.
{GS3 – S&T – Defence} Songar Drones
- Context (BT): Pakistan attempted a mass drone incursion using a Turkish Songar drone.
Credit: ID
Key Features of Songar Drones
- Developed by: Asisguard (Turkey); first indigenously armed drone of Turkey.
- Role: Tactical battlefield operations and internal security.
- Armament: 5.56×45 mm NATO rounds (200-round capacity); automatic mid-flight firing via feed chute.
- Control: Remote and autonomous; includes auto take-off and landing
- Range/Altitude: Operates within 3 km radius, at altitudes up to 2,800 m.
- Control and Navigation: Dual system
- Global Positioning System (GPS, developed by the US).
- Globalnaya Navigazionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS-developed by Russia).
- Auto return-to-base on signal loss or battery depletion; standby mode for rapid deployment.
- Surveillance: Dual cameras- Navigation + gun-mounted targeting.
- Real-time video transmission.
- Capabilities: Target detection, threat neutralisation, damage assessment, multi-drone coordination.
- Mobility: Mountable on unmanned 4×4 military vehicles
- Tactical Applications: Border security, ambush response, reconnaissance, precision strikes, aerial-ground coordination, asymmetric warfare, and 24/7 multi-terrain readiness.
Weaponised Variants of SONGAR Drones
- 5.56×45 mm Assault Rifle: Fires NATO-standard rounds with recoil dampening.
- 2×40 mm Grenade Launcher: Dual grenades; range 400–450 m.
- 6×40 mm Drum Launcher: Fires 6 grenades rapidly for area suppression.
- 3×81 mm Mortar Gripper: For indirect mortar fire support.
- 8×Tear/Smoke Grenade Launcher: Non-lethal; crowd control via free-fall deployment.
{Species – Mammals – VU} Highest Snow Leopard Population in Ladakh
- Context (DH): A recent study estimates that there are 477 snow leopards in Ladakh, representing 68% of India’s total population of the species.
Highlights of the Study
- Ladakh is home to one of the world’s highest densities of snow leopards. Hemis National Park, Kargil & Leh have the highest density of snow leopards globally (up to 3 per 100 km2).
- Approximately 60% of Ladakh’s snow leopards coexist with human populations, primarily due to resource-rich habitats and cultural factors.
Key Factors Contributing to High Density
- Resource-Rich Grasslands: Moderate climate and diverse prey availability in the area.
- Low Human Disturbance: Less human encroachment in most habitats, allowing leopards to thrive.
- Cultural Reverence: Buddhist communities’ strong cultural respect for wildlife and eco-tourism benefits.
- Snow Leopard Tourism helps support local economies and conservation efforts.
About Snow Leopard
- Snow leopard (or Ghost of the Mountains) is a keystone and indicator species of high-altitude habitat. It is a flagship species for the high-altitude Himalayan ecosystem.
- It is the 7th largest cat species in the world.
- Snow leopards are apex predators, crucial for maintaining ecological balance by regulating herbivore populations like blue sheep, ibex, and urial.
- The conservation of their habitats is vital for biodiversity and ecosystem stability in the region.
- Habitat: Alpine and subalpine zones across 12 countries in South and Central Asia, including India’s Himalayas (Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim).
- Inhabit steep, rugged terrains, typically at elevations of 3,000-5,000 m, with rocky outcrops & ravines.
- Indian states/UTs with the largest snow leopard population: 1st Ladakh > 2nd HP > 3rd Uttarakhand.
- Threats: Habitat loss, poaching, climate change, unregulated tourism, and competition with livestock.
- Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Vulnerable | CITES: Appendix I | WPA,1972: Schedule I
- Snow Leopard has been declared the National Symbol of Kyrgyzstan.
