NEWS 1 :22 India-Bound Ships on Hormuz Evacuation List
Preliminary Facts (For Mains Answer Introduction)
- Evacuation Operation: The Indian government has identified 22 India-bound vessels in the Persian Gulf region for evacuation to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains effectively closed due to the ongoing Iran-US-Israel conflict .
- Energy Security Critical: Of these, 20 vessels have been assessed as critical to India’s energy security, carrying:
- 2.15 lakh metric tonnes of LNG
- 3.21 lakh tonnes of LPG
- 16.76 lakh tonnes of crude oil
- Vessel Details: The 20 energy-critical vessels include 3 LNG carriers, 10 LPG carriers, and 7 crude oil tankers. Of these, 10 are Indian-flagged. Additionally, 2 Indian-flagged container vessels are also being evacuated .
- Multi-Agency Coordination: The operation involves coordination between the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Directorate of Naval Operations (DNO), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), and the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region .
- Successful Evacuations: Three ships—Shivalik (LPG carrier), Nanda Devi (LPG carrier), and Jag Laadki (crude oil tanker)—have already been escorted by the Indian Navy from the Gulf of Oman region and have reached Indian ports safely. Jag Laadki was loading at Fujairah terminal when it was attacked, narrowly escaping damage .
- Seafarers Stranded: Approximately 23,000 Indian seafarers are stranded in the Persian Gulf region, of whom 658 are on Indian-flagged vessels. So far, 472 seafarers have been evacuated by shipping companies .
- Casualties: No Indian ship has been attacked, but three Indian seafarers have died, four have been injured, and one is reported missing on foreign-flagged vessels .
Prelims 360
1.Crude Oil Demand
- Total consumption: ~5–5.5 million barrels/day (mbpd)
- Annual: ~250 million tonnes
2. LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) Demand
- Total consumption: ~28–30 million tonnes/year
3. LNG / Natural Gas Demand
- Total gas demand: ~160–180 MMSCMD
- LNG share: ~50% (rest domestic production)
Calorific Value (CV)
👉 Definition:
Amount of heat energy released when 1 kg (or 1 m³ for gases) of a fuel is completely burned.
- Unit:
- Solid/liquid → kJ/kg
- Gas → kJ/m³
- Higher calorific value ⇒ Less fuel needed ⇒ Lower pollution (generally)
- 👉 Lower calorific value ⇒ More fuel burned ⇒ Higher pollution
Calorific Values of Key Fuels
🛢️ Petroleum Fuels
| Fuel | Calorific Value (approx) |
| Crude Oil | ~42–45 MJ/kg |
| Petrol | ~44–46 MJ/kg |
| Diesel | ~42–45 MJ/kg |
👉 High energy density → ideal for transport
🔥 LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas)
- CV: ~46–50 MJ/kg
👉 Features:
- High calorific value
- Clean burning (less smoke)
- Used in households (cooking)
💨 LNG / Natural Gas
- CV: ~50–55 MJ/kg
- Or ~35–40 MJ/m³
👉 Features:
- Highest calorific value among common fossil fuels
- Very clean (lowest CO₂ per unit energy)
🪨 Comparison with Other Fuels
| Fuel | Calorific Value |
| Coal | ~20–30 MJ/kg |
| Firewood | ~15–20 MJ/kg |
| Cow dung cake | ~6–8 MJ/kg |
News 2 : Eight Dead as EV Explosion Sparks Fire in Indore House
Preliminary Facts (For Mains Answer Introduction)
- Tragic Incident: Eight people, including two minors, were killed in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, on Wednesday (March 18, 2026) after a massive fire engulfed a three-storey house following an explosion in an electric car that was being charged outside the premises. The fire broke out around 4 a.m. while 12 people were asleep inside .
- Cause of Fire: The fire began following a short-circuit in the electric car, which quickly spread to electric wiring and a sports bike parked inside. The situation worsened after two of several LPG cylinders kept in the house exploded .
- Compounding Factors: All doors fitted with electronic locks got jammed due to malfunction, forcing rescue teams to break them down. The 2.5-hour operation involved police, fire department, and State Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF) personnel .
- Official Response: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered an investigation, with officials and experts dispatched from Bhopal. He noted that the incident highlighted a “new type of challenge” emerging from evolving technology, specifically digital locks and EV charging systems .
Broader Context: The incident raises critical questions about EV safety, charging infrastructure, integration of new technology with existing residential structures, and emergency response protocols .
PRELIMS 360
⚡ Short Circuit in Electric Vehicles (EVs)
🔹 What is a Short Circuit?
👉 A short circuit occurs when electric current flows through an unintended low-resistance path, bypassing the normal circuit.
In EVs, this usually happens inside the battery or wiring system.
🔹 Where It Happens in EVs?
- 🔋 Battery pack (most critical)
- 🔌 Wiring and connectors
- ⚙️ Power electronics (inverter, controller)
🔹 Types of Short Circuits in EVs
- Internal Short Circuit
- Occurs inside battery cells
- Causes: manufacturing defects, overheating, physical damage
- External Short Circuit
- Due to damaged wires, loose connections, water ingress
Causes in EVs
- Overcharging
- Mechanical damage (accident)
- Manufacturing defects
- Exposure to water
- Poor battery management
Protection Mechanisms
✔ Battery Management System (BMS)
✔ Fuses and circuit breakers
✔ Thermal sensors
✔ Insulation and cooling systems
Battery Management System (BMS) – EVs
🔹 What is BMS?
👉 A Battery Management System (BMS) is an electronic control system that monitors, protects, and optimizes the performance of a battery pack.
🔹 Why BMS is Important?
EV batteries are sensitive to:
- Overcharging
- Deep discharge
- Overheating
👉 BMS ensures safety + efficiency + long battery life
🔹 Key Functions of BMS
1. 🔍 Monitoring
- Voltage of each cell
- Temperature
- Current flow
- State of Charge (SoC)
- State of Health (SoH)
2. ⚖️ Cell Balancing
- Ensures all battery cells charge/discharge evenly
👉 Prevents damage to weaker cells
3. 🛑 Protection
- Overcharge protection
- Over-discharge protection
- Short circuit protection
- Over-temperature cutoff
4. ⚡ Energy Management
- Controls charging & discharging rates
- Optimizes battery performance
5. 📡 Communication
- Sends data to:
- Vehicle control unit
- Dashboard (battery %, range)
NEWS 3 : LS Extends Term of Panel Examining Simultaneous Polls
Preliminary Facts (For Mains Answer Introduction)
- Extension Granted: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday (March 18, 2026) extended the term of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the Bills seeking to introduce simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies until the last week of the Monsoon Session of Parliament . The extension, moved by Committee Chairman and senior BJP MP P.P. Chaudhary, was adopted by a voice vote .
- Bills Under Scrutiny: The committee is examining two Bills: The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which were introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 17, 2024, and subsequently referred to the JPC for parliamentary scrutiny .
- Committee’s Work: The panel has so far held 17 meetings and heard from a wide range of distinguished experts, including:
- Former Chief Justices of India: B.R. Gavai, Sanjiv Khanna, D.Y. Chandrachud, U.U. Lalit, and J.S. Khehar
- Senior lawyer-MPs: Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi
- Senior leaders: Ghulam Nabi Azad and M. Veerappa Moily
- Former IMF First Deputy Managing Director: Gita Gopinath
- Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (EAC-PM) member: Sanjeev Sanyal
- EAC-PM Working Paper: Sanjeev Sanyal and EAC-PM Joint Director Satvik Dev released a working paper titled “Estimating Reduction in Polling Personnel Deployment Under Simultaneous Elections” , arguing that “One Nation, One Election” may reduce polling personnel deployment by 28% .
- Background: The concept of simultaneous elections, often referred to as “One Nation, One Election,” aims to synchronise the electoral cycles of the Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies to reduce the frequency of polls, save resources, and minimise governance disruptions caused by the Model Code of Conduct .
Prelims 360
Types of Voting in Parliament (India)
Voting is used in Parliament of India to decide motions, bills, amendments, etc.
🔹 1. Voice Vote (Most Common)
👉 Members say “Aye” or “No”
- Presiding officer (Speaker/Chairman) decides based on loudness
✅ Application:
- Routine matters
- Non-controversial bills
- Quick decisions
👉 No exact count recorded
🔹 2. Division (Recorded Voting)
👉 Used when result of voice vote is challenged
Methods:
- Electronic voting system
- Slips (in case of technical issues)
- Members physically counted
✅ Application:
- Important bills
- Controversial issues
- When accuracy is required
👉 Exact number of votes recorded
🔹 3. Ballot Voting (Secret Vote)
👉 Voting is done secretly
✅ Application:
- Election of:
- President of India
- Vice President of India
- Members of committees (sometimes)
👉 Ensures free and fair choice
🔹 4. Physical Division (Lobby System)
👉 Members go into:
- “Aye Lobby”
- “No Lobby”
✅ Application:
- When electronic system not used
- Traditional method
🔹 Special Voting Concepts
⚖️ Casting Vote
- Given to:
- Speaker of Lok Sabha
- Used when:
- Votes are tied
👉 Maintains status quo
🔹 Quorum
- Minimum 1/10th of total members must be present
- Otherwise voting cannot proceed
News 4 : Plastic Goods Prices to Rise 60% as War Impacts Polymer
Preliminary Facts (For Mains Answer Introduction)
- Price Shock: Plastic product prices are expected to rise by 50-60% from April 2026 if the West Asia crisis continues to impact supply of key raw materials, primarily crude oil and natural gas. Polymer prices, derived from these feedstocks, have already increased by 50-60% in recent days .
- Inventory Buffer Depleting: Plastic manufacturers are currently managing with inventory procured before the war broke out, but stocks are fast depleting. Manufacturers are now procuring raw material on a day-to-day basis based on orders, passing on higher costs to buyers .
- Consumer Impact: The price of a small water bottle (currently ₹2) could rise to over ₹3; a 20-litre water bottle (currently ₹110) may increase sharply. Food packaging costs are also rising, threatening to inflate retail food prices .
- Ethanol Alternative: The Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has urged the government for a fast-tracked roadmap for ethanol blending beyond E20, highlighting India’s adequate local ethanol production capacity (2,000 crore litres installed capacity) to reduce dependence on imported crude .
Prelims 360
Ethanol (C₂H₅OH) is a type of alcohol used as:
- Biofuel (blended with petrol)
- Industrial chemical
- Beverage alcohol (in different form/purity)
👉 It is a renewable fuel because it is produced from plant-based materials.
Ethanol Blending Beyond E20 (India)
🔹 What is Ethanol Blending?
👉 Mixing ethanol (biofuel) with petrol to reduce fossil fuel use.
- E10 → 10% ethanol
- E20 → 20% ethanol
🔹 What does “Beyond E20” mean?
👉 Fuel with more than 20% ethanol, such as:
- E30 (30%)
- E85 (85%)
- E100 (100% ethanol)
🔹 India’s Current Status
- Target: E20 blending by 2025–26
- Driven by:
- Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
- Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP)
Challenges Beyond E20
⚙️ 1. Engine Compatibility
- Regular vehicles not designed for >20% ethanol
- Needs flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs)
⛽ 2. Lower Energy Content
- Ethanol has lower calorific value than petrol
👉 Mileage decreases
💧 3. Corrosion Issues
- Ethanol absorbs water
- Can damage pipelines & engines
🌾 4. Food vs Fuel Debate
- Excess use of crops for fuel
- Impacts food security
