In News:

India is advancing its supersonic missile capabilities with the development of two significant assets:

1. The BrahMos-NG (Next Generation) missile—lighter, stealthier, and more versatile.
2. The extended-range BrahMos, which pushes the missile’s reach up to 800 km, enhancing India’s strategic depth.

About BrahMos:

• Joint Venture: BrahMos Aerospace (DRDO of India and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia).
• First Induction: 2005 (anti-ship version).
• Name Origin: Combines names of Brahmaputra (India) and Moskva (Russia) rivers.
• Capabilities: Launch from land, sea, sub-sea, and air against land and sea targets.

BrahMos-NG (Next Generation):

A miniaturized, next-gen supersonic cruise missile designed for enhanced operational flexibility and platform compatibility.

Key Features:

• Size & Weight: ~1.33–1.5 tonnes, nearly half the current air-launched BrahMos (2.5–2.65 tonnes).
• Speed: Mach 2.8.
• Range: ~400–450 km; potential for 800 km with future trials.
• Stealth: Lower radar cross-section and advanced stealth design.
• Platforms: Compatible with Su-30MKI, LCA Tejas, Rafale, MiG-29, naval ships, and submarines.
• Launch Options: From air, land vehicles, surface warships, and submarine torpedo tubes.
• Advanced ECCM: Improved resistance against electronic warfare/jamming.
• Precision Targeting: Ideal for land-attack, anti-ship, and underwater combat scenarios.

Strategic Benefits:

• Higher platform density: E.g., a Su-30MKI can carry up to 4 BrahMos-NG missiles; Tejas can carry 2.
• Faster deployment and reload cycles due to reduced size and logistics burden.
• Future-ready design: Modular, stealthy, and agile—ideal for modern warfare.

Extended-Range BrahMos:

• Background: Initial range capped at 290 km under Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
• Post-MTCR Membership: India joined MTCR in 2016, enabling range extension.
• Current Status: Successfully extended to 450 km; testing ongoing for 800 km version.
• Trial Update: Initial flight trial of the 800 km version conducted; more planned.

Operational Highlights:

• Combat Proven: BrahMos was used by the IAF for precision strikes on Pakistani airbases during the 2024 confrontation, demonstrating effective penetration of enemy air defence.
• Deterrence Capability: Former Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari called BrahMos-NG the IAF’s "primary deterrent weapon".
• Squadron Integration: 222 ‘Tiger Sharks’ squadron in Thanjavur equipped with BrahMos-armed Su-30MKIs.

In News:

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), under the Ministry of Communications, has launched the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) to counter the growing menace of cyber-enabled financial frauds, especially those involving mobile numbers.

What is FRI?

The Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) is a multi-dimensional analytical tool developed under the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP). It classifies mobile numbers based on their risk level—Medium, High, or Very High—of being associated with financial fraud.

Purpose:

• To provide advance risk intelligence to financial institutions.
• To serve as a pre-transaction validation tool, flagging suspicious mobile numbers involved in digital transactions.

How It Works:

• The classification is based on data inputs from:
  • National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP)
  • DoT’s Chakshu facility
  • Intelligence from banks and NBFCs
• Risk-tagged mobile numbers are flagged in real-time to stakeholders, including banks, UPI platforms, and payment service providers.
• Acts as a cyber shield, preventing fraudulent digital payments before they occur.

Implementation and Use Cases:

• PhonePe, an early adopter, uses FRI to:
  • Block transactions involving "Very High" risk numbers.
  • Warn users during transactions with "Medium" risk numbers via its "PhonePe Protect" feature.
• Other UPI giants like Google Pay and Paytm (collectively handling 90% of UPI traffic) are integrating FRI-based alerts.
• Banks have begun introducing transaction delays and alerts to curb cyber fraud using FRI data.

Why FRI is Crucial:

• India lost over ?3,207 crore to approximately 5.82 lakh cyber fraud cases between FY 2020–2024.
• The short operational window of fraudulent mobile numbers makes advance detection vital.
• Common cyber frauds include:KYC scams, UPI frauds, investment scams, digital arrest frauds, and get-rich-quick schemes.

Supporting Mechanisms:

• Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP): Facilitates real-time intelligence sharing between law enforcement and financial institutions.
• Chakshu on Sanchar Saathi: Enables citizens to report suspicious communication.
• Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting System: Part of I4C, it allows real-time fraud reporting via the 1930 helpline or cybercrime.gov.in.
• E-Zero FIR: Automatically registers FIRs for cybercrime complaints involving more than ?10 lakh.
• Mulehunter (RBI): AI-based tool to identify and track money mule accounts.

In News:

Recently, India successfully hosted the Second Blue Talks in New Delhi, organised by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in collaboration with the Embassies of France and Costa Rica. This high-level consultation platform aims to contribute to the upcoming 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) scheduled from June 9–13, 2025 in Nice, France.

About Blue Talks

• Purpose: A multilateral platform for dialogue among governments, scientists, civil society, and stakeholders to promote the sustainable use of ocean resources and accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 – Life Below Water.
• Key Objectives:
  • Promote marine sustainability, research, and education.
  • Facilitate global scientific cooperation on ocean-related challenges.
  • Share best practices and strategic knowledge tools.
  • Strengthen consensus and policy alignment in the lead-up to UNOC3.
• Thematic Focus Areas of 2nd Blue Talks:
  • Conservation and Restoration of Marine and Coastal Ecosystems.
  • Scientific Cooperation, Marine Technology, and Ocean Literacy.
  • Reduction of Marine Pollution from land and sea-based sources.
  • Interlinkages among Oceans, Climate, and Biodiversity.

Highlights of the Event:

• White Paper Released: Transforming India’s Blue Economy: Investment, Innovation, and Sustainable Growth.
• Aim: To align government action, mobilize investments, and promote sustainable ocean development.
• Notable Themes:
  • Mapping of marine resources.
  • Promotion of offshore wind and deep-sea exploration.
  • Technology and data-sharing gaps.
  • Women-led seaweed farming, smart ports, and green ship recycling as success models.

About the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3)

Feature                                          Details

Host Countries                         France and Costa Rica

Venue & Dates                         Nice, France; June 9–13, 2025

Organiser                                    United Nations

Theme                                           “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and

                                                 sustainably use the ocean.”

Goal                                                  Strengthen global efforts under SDG 14

Key Outcome                             Nice Ocean Action Plan – a non-binding but politically influential declaration.

Focus Areas                                Marine conservation, pollution reduction, global partnerships, and

                                                 BBNJ ratification.

UN Ocean Conference Series

• 1st UNOC (2017): New York, USA – Raised awareness and voluntary commitments.
• 2nd UNOC (2022): Lisbon, Portugal – Focused on innovation and science-driven approaches.
• 3rd UNOC (2025): Nice, France – Aims to intensify action and collaboration.

India’s Blue Economy Vision

• India's Blue Economy is a critical pillar of the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
• MoES is the nodal agency for national ocean governance.
• The white paper integrates efforts from 25 ministries and all coastal states/UTs.
• Builds on India’s G20 Presidency and Chennai High-Level Principles for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue Economy.

In News:

In a historic win, Banu Mushtaq, a prominent Kannada writer, advocate, and activist, became the first Indian author writing in Kannada to win the International Booker Prize 2025 for her short story collection Heart Lamp. The book was translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi, who also became the first Indian translator to win this prestigious award.

About the International Booker Prize

• Established: 2005 by the Booker Prize Foundation, UK.
• Awarded: Annually.
• Purpose: To honour the best work of fiction translated into English, regardless of the original language or nationality of the author.
• Prize Amount: £50,000, shared equally between the author and the translator.
• Shortlisted nominees (authors and translators) receive £2,500 each.
• Focus: Unlike the Booker Prize, which honours original English-language works, the International Booker Prize exclusively celebrates translated fiction, highlighting the importance of translators in global literature.

Key Features

• Celebrates literary excellence, cultural richness, and the art of translation.
• Initially biennial (2005–2015), it became an annual award in 2016.
• Books must be translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland.

India and the International Booker Prize

Year                    Author                              Work                          Language               Translator

2022                Geetanjali Shree      Tomb of Sand     Hindi                     Daisy Rockwell

2025                Banu Mushtaq          Heart Lamp         Kannada             Deepa Bhasthi

About Banu Mushtaq

• Born: April 3, 1948, in Hassan, Karnataka.
• Professions: Advocate, journalist, feminist writer, women’s rights activist, and former municipal councillor.
• Affiliation: Prominent figure in the Bandaya movement, known for protest literature in Kannada addressing social injustices.
• Journalistic Background: Reported for LankeshPatrike (1981–1990) under the mentorship of P. Lankesh.

Literary Contributions

• Started writing: In 1974; first story published in Prajamatha.
• Themes: Focuses on gender justice, religious identity, caste oppression, and female autonomy.

Heart Lamp: The 2025 Winning Work

• Genre: Short story collection comprising 12 stories written between 1990 and 2023.
• Content: Explores the lives of ordinary South Indian Muslim women, addressing themes like patriarchy, faith, family roles, and self-determination.
• Significance:
  • First short story collection to win the International Booker Prize.
  • First Kannada-language work to win.
  • First win for Indian translator Deepa Bhasthi.

Other Notable Works by Banu Mushtaq

• Benki Male (1999): Awarded the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award.
• HaseenaMattuItaraKathegalu (2015): Translated into English as Haseena and Other Stories.
• Black Cobra (Short Story): Adapted into the award-winning film Hasina by Girish Kasaravalli.

In News:

According to the latest 2024 data by Global Forest Watch (GFW) and the University of Maryland, India lost 18,200 hectares of primary forest in 2024, a slight increase from 17,700 hectares in 2023.

Primary forests are mature, humid tropical forests that have not been entirely cleared or regrown in recent history.

Key Highlights:

Globally, 6.7 million hectares of tropical primary forest were lost in 2024—almost double the loss in 2023.

For the first time in over two decades, wildfires surpassed agriculture as the leading driver of tropical forest loss, accounting for nearly 50% of the global total. This spike is largely attributed to climate change and El Niño, which intensified heatwaves and droughts.

Major Global Trends (2024)

• Brazil: Accounted for 42% of global tropical forest loss.
• Bolivia: Recorded a 200% rise in forest loss, overtaking the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Fires: Emerged as the dominant cause of forest destruction globally.

India: Forest Cover Trends and Data (2001–2024)

• India lost 2.31 million hectares of tree cover since 2001—equivalent to a 7.1% decrease and 1.29 gigatonnes of CO? equivalent emissions.
• Humid primary forest loss between 2002 and 2024 stood at 3,48,000 hectares (5.4%), accounting for 15% of the total tree cover loss.
• Annual primary forest loss (in hectares):
  • 2024: 18,200
  • 2023: 17,700
  • 2022: 16,900
  • 2021: 18,300
  • 2020: 17,000
  • 2019: 14,500

2024 Indian Forest Loss Patterns

• Overall Tree Cover Loss: Decreased by 6.9% compared to 2023.
• Humid Primary Forest Loss: Rose by 5.9% in 2024.
• Fire-Induced Forest Loss: Increased to 950 hectares (a 158% rise from 2023).
• Regional Hotspots: Northeastern states such as Assam, Nagaland, and Mizoram, driven by shifting cultivation, logging, and agricultural expansion.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), India had the second-highest rate of deforestation globally from 2015 to 2020, with an annual forest loss of 6.68 lakh hectares.

India’s Forest Conservation Measures

Policy and Legal Framework

• Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (Amended 2023): Regulates diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes. Amendments aim to streamline processes while raising concerns about potential dilution of protections.
• National Forest Policy, 1988: Advocates maintaining 33% of geographical area under forest/tree cover.
• Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act (CAMPA), 2016: Ensures reforestation and eco-restoration using funds from forest land diversion.

Afforestation and Reforestation

• Green India Mission: Under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC); focuses on increasing forest cover and ecosystem resilience.
• State Initiatives: Example – Uttar Pradesh plans to plant 35 crore saplings in 2025.

Community Participation

• Joint Forest Management (JFM): Encourages community–forest department collaboration.
• Forest Rights Act, 2006: Legally empowers forest-dwelling communities to manage and conserve forests.

Technological Tools

• Satellite Monitoring: Real-time surveillance of forest cover and illegal activities.
• Mobile Apps: Tools like ‘My Plants’ facilitate public engagement in plantation efforts.

International Partnerships

• Forest-PLUS 3.0: A joint initiative with the United States, promoting sustainable forestry and climate resilience.

About Global Forest Watch (GFW)

• A project by the World Resources Institute (WRI), established in 1997.
• An open-access platform offering near real-time forest monitoring data.
• Users: Governments, NGOs, academia, journalists, and the public.
• Technology: Uses Landsat satellite imagery and region-specific algorithms to track forest change.