India's Exploration of Critical Minerals

India's Exploration of Critical Minerals

Tags: Rapid Fire, CA, Quick Facts for Prelims, GS Paper - 1, Mineral & Energy Resources, GS Paper - 2, Government Policies & Interventions, GS Paper - 3
Source: IE

India is strengthening its global partnerships across Africa, South America, and Australia to secure critical minerals.

The government has allocated Rs 4,000 crore for both domestic and international mineral exploration as part of the National Critical Minerals Mission.

Key Highlights:

• India has secured 9,000 sq km in Zambia for copper-cobalt exploration, led by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), with mining rights anticipated within 2-3 years.
• Zambia is ranked 7th in copper production and 14th in cobalt production (2023), with existing investments from Canada and China.
• India is engaging with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Rwanda to acquire critical mineral assets.
• India is already active in South America (Argentina, Chile) and Australia, with Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) exploring lithium and cobalt assets.
• Critical minerals are essential to a country’s economy and national security.

Growth of India’s Private Space Industry

 Science & Technology

Growth of India’s Private Space Industry

For Prelims: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), Venture Capital, POEM

For Mains: India’s space startups, Space Sector Reforms of 2020, and their impact.

Why in the News?
The rise of private participation in India’s space sector, catalyzed by the Space Sector Reforms of 2020, has spurred innovation and investment, opening the industry to private players. ISRO's ongoing achievements, together with the rise of India's space tech startups, are driving significant advancements in space technology, exploration, and commercialization.

How Has India’s Private Space Industry Developed?

Private Participation:
India is home to over 200 active space startups, leveraging ISRO's facilities for testing, launch, and ground station services.
The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has played a key role in supporting these startups with regulatory and financial assistance, including a ₹1,000 crore Venture Capital Fund.
ISRO’s commercial arm, Antrix Corporation, has been instrumental in facilitating satellite launches and technology transfers to private players.
The PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) program has seen a growing number of startup payloads, with launches increasing from 6 in 2022 to 24 in 2024.

Private Investment:
Private funding is playing an increasingly important role in driving the space economy.
The MountTech Growth Fund – Kavachh (MGF-Kavachh) has bolstered domestic investments through venture capital, with startups securing ₹2,500 crore in the last three years.
MGF-Kavachh is a SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) under Category II.

Advancements by Indian Startups:

• GalaxEye has pioneered the world’s first fusion of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) with optical imagery, enabling faster data compression.
• Pixxel is working on the world’s most advanced hyperspectral satellite constellations, known as Firefly.
• InspeCity (IIT Bombay) is focusing on in-orbit satellite docking for repair and refueling.
• Skyroot and Agnikul are developing cost-effective private launch vehicles for satellite deployment.

Space Sector Reforms 2020

Giloy

 Giloy

Research on Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) has increased by 376.5% over the past decade (from 243 studies in 2014 to 913 in 2024), indicating growing interest in its medicinal properties.

About Giloy:
Giloy, also known as Guduchi or Amrita, is a climbing shrub from the Menispermaceae family. It has been used in traditional Ayush systems for centuries due to its immune-boosting and adaptogenic qualities.
Native to India, it is also found in China, and tropical regions of Australia and Africa. Giloy thrives in warm climates and medium-black or red soil.

Traditionally, it is used to treat various ailments, including fever, diabetes, infections, gout, jaundice, asthma, diarrhea, and skin diseases.
The Covid-19 pandemic led to an increased focus on natural immunity enhancers, further accelerating research into Giloy’s potential.

Clinical studies suggest Giloy’s potential in:

129th Birth Anniversary of Morarji Desai

129th Birth Anniversary of Morarji Desai

On the occasion of Morarji Desai's 129th birth anniversary, the Lok Sabha Speaker paid tribute to the former Prime Minister of India.

About Morarji Desai:
Born on February 29, 1896, Morarji Desai served as the 4th Prime Minister of India from 1977 to 1979 during the 6th Lok Sabha.

Role in the Freedom Struggle:
Desai resigned from his position as Deputy Collector in 1930 after 12 years of service under the British to join India's independence movement. He was detained during the Individual Satyagraha in 1941 and arrested during the Quit India Movement in 1942.

Post-Independence Career:

Linguistic Diversity and Education

Linguistic Diversity and Education

Why in News?

A recent report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), titled "Languages Matter: Global Guidance on Multilingual Education," was released on the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day. The report emphasizes how language barriers impact global educational outcomes.

Key Highlights from the UNESCO Report on Language:

• Language Barriers in Education: Around 40% of the global population lacks access to education in a language they can understand. In low- and middle-income countries, this figure rises to 90%, affecting over 250 million learners.
• Linguistic Diversity Due to Migration: Migration has led to increased linguistic diversity, with over 31 million displaced youths facing educational challenges due to language barriers.
• Colonial Legacy: Many post-colonial nations still use non-native languages as the primary medium of instruction. Local languages are often undervalued in formal education, leaving native speakers at a disadvantage.
• Immigration and Education: Immigration has created linguistically diverse classrooms, particularly in high-income countries, which face challenges in providing language acquisition support, inclusive curricula, and fair assessments.
• Policy Variations: Countries vary in their policy responses, with some promoting bilingual education while others favor quick immersion in the dominant language.
• Challenges to Multilingual Education: Despite growing awareness, issues such as limited teacher capacity, lack of resources, and community opposition hinder the implementation of multilingual education.
• Policy Recommendations: The report advocates for context-specific language policies and curriculum adjustments, including support for teacher training, multilingual resources, and inclusive learning environments. It also emphasizes fostering inclusion through strong school leadership and community collaboration.

Note:
International Mother Language Day, proposed by Bangladesh and approved at the 1999 UNESCO General Conference, has been observed globally on 21st February since 2000. The day honors Bangladesh’s struggle to protect its mother language, Bangla. UNESCO advocates for the promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity as a means to foster sustainability, tolerance, respect, and peace.

How Has India’s Linguistic Landscape Evolved?