DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

03.02.2025

• News 1: National Critical Mineral Mission

GS-3 Economy  

About The News:                                                 

• In a continuing quest to encourage small and medium firms in the clean energy sector, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has exempted cobalt powder and waste, the scrap of lithium-ion batteries, lead, zinc, and 12 other critical minerals from basic customs duty.

Key points for prelims

National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM):

• The NCMM aims to reduce India’s dependence on imports of critical minerals and ensure self-reliance for high-tech industries, clean energy, and national defense.
• The mission will cover all stages, including mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, and recovery from end-of-life products.
• The mission will intensify the exploration of critical minerals within the country and in its offshore areas.
• Approach: The NCMM will adopt a “whole-of-government” approach, working closely with various ministries, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), private companies, and research institutions.
• A fast-track approval process will be established to expedite mining projects for critical minerals.
• Stockpiling Minerals: NCMM provisions to develop stockpiles of critical minerals will ensure that India has sufficient reserves to meet future demands.
• International Strategy: Encourages Indian companies to acquire critical mineral assets abroad and build trade ties with resource-rich nations.
• Infrastructure: The mission will establish mineral processing parks, promote recycling of critical minerals, and support research in related technologies, including the creation of a Centre of Excellence for Critical Minerals.
• Encourages industries to establish processing units within India through financial incentives.
• Expands Promoting Innovations in Individuals, Startups And MSMEs (PRISM) initiative to fund startups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in the critical minerals sector.

Role of Critical Minerals:

• Green Energy Transition: Critical Minerals are essential for solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicle (EV) batteries, and hydrogen fuel cells.
• Electronics & Telecommunications: Used in semiconductors, fiber optics, and circuit boards.
• Defense & Aerospace: Required in missile guidance systems, aircraft, and satellite technologies.
• Medical Equipment: Key component in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines, pacemakers, and other advanced healthcare technologies.
• India’s Dependence on Imports: India heavily depends on China for six critical minerals (bismuth, lithium, silicon, titanium, tellurium, and graphite) highlighting its vulnerability to supply disruptions.
• NEWS 2: India-Bangladesh Relation

GS-02 International Relation

About The News:

• In January, India and Bangladesh exchanged words over security measures at the border, including issues around fencing, with both countries summoning diplomats and sending a message about protocols and past agreements.

Key points for prelims:

India-Bangladesh Relation:

Both countries signed MoU for cooperation in the various areas:

• Shared Vision for ‘India-Bangladesh Digital Partnership’
• ‘India-Bangladesh Green Partnership‘ for a sustainable future
• MoU on Maritime Cooperation, Blue Economy and Oceanography

Significance of India- Bangladesh relations:

• Important trade partners: Bangladesh is India’s biggest trade partner in South Asia and India is the second biggest trade partner of Bangladesh in Asia.
• Bilateral trade stands at USD 14.01 billion (2023-24).
• Security and Border Management: Both countries actively cooperate on police matters, anti-corruption activities and issues of illicit drug trafficking, fake currency, human trafficking, among others.
• Examples of Defence Cooperation: Military exercises like SAMPRITI and MILAN.
• Peaceful and cooperative border managements: Both countries cooperate for the security of 4,096 kms long international border focusing on border fencing, joint inspection of boundary pillars, etc.
• Land Boundary Agreement (2015) and Delimitation of Maritime boundary are examples of peaceful resolution of boundary disputes.
• Convergence for Sub-Regional Cooperations: Both countries have share vision for the Indo-pacific in terms of maritime security and development of ocean economy.
• Engagement at multiple multilateral platforms: E.g. SAARC, BIMSTEC, BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal), IORA.
• Enhanced Connectivity: E.g. Protocol on Inland Waterways Trade and Transit (PIWTT), operationalization of Agreement for the usage of Chittagong and Mongla Ports
• Cultural and People to People Relations: The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre and the Indian Cultural Centre in Dhaka both play an important role in celebration of common cultural links.

GS-01 Geography

About the news:

• Researchers have discovered how microbes consume huge amounts of carbon monoxide and help reduce levels of this deadly gas.
• The study reveals at an atomic level how microbes consume carbon monoxide present in the atmosphere.
• They use a special enzyme, called the carbon monoxide dehydrogenase, to extract energy from this universally present but highly toxic gas.
• The study showed for the first time how this enzyme extracted atmospheric carbon monoxide and powered cells.

Key points for prelims:  

Atmosphere:

• One of the main components of Earth’s interdependent physical systems is the atmosphere.
• An atmosphere is made of the layers of gases surrounding a planet or other celestial body.

Composition:

• Earth’s atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases..
• Nitrogen (N2): It is the most plentiful gas in the air. It is one of the primary nutrients critical for the survival of all living organisms.
• Oxygen (O2): Humans and animals take oxygen from the air as they breathe. Green plants produce oxygen during photosynthesis. In this way oxygen content in the air remains constant.
• Carbon dioxide (CO2): It is an important heat-trapping gas, or greenhouse gas, that comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels.

The Earth’s atmosphere has five main layers:

1. Troposphere: Closest to Earth, where weather occurs.
2. Stratosphere: Contains the ozone layer, planes fly here.
3. Mesosphere: Coldest layer, meteors burn up here.
4. Thermosphere: Very hot, home to auroras and ISS.
5. Exosphere: Outermost layer, merges with space.

Mains Questions:

• India heavily depends on imports of critical minerals, which has implications for its clean energy transition, defense, and technology sectors. Examine the significance of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in addressing this challenge. What measures can be taken to ensure India’s mineral security in the long run?